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Effugfrinirfuuirinjrrugffugr^ 


A  DESCRIPTION 


PI  T  CAIRN'S    ISLAND 


ITS    INHABITANTS. 


WITH  AN  JLUTHENTIO  ACCOUNT  OP  THB 

■\ 

MUTINY    OF   THE    SHIP    BOTtNTI"^' 

AND  or  THB 


SUBSEqUENT  FORTUNES   OF  THE  MUTINEERS. 


■^vm     4<5hvn    Jia^  ' 


NEW   YORK: 
HAEPEK    fc  BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS. 

339    ♦   531    PEARL    STREET, 
^BANKXIN  SQUABB. 

1S54. 


\:.<^^sr\V^'KTu<: 


\l^{ 


PREFACE. 


The  Editor  of  this  little  volume  (for  he  pre- 
sumes not  to  write  Author)  has  been  induced  to 
bring  into  one  connected  view  what  has  hitherto 
appeared  only  in  detached  fragments  (and  some  of 
these  not  generally  accessible) — the  historical 
narrative  of  an  event  which  deeply  interested  the 
public  at  the  time  of  its  occurrence,  and  from 
which  the  naval  service  in  particular,  in  all  its 
ranks,  may  still  draw  instructive  and  useful  les- 
sons. 

The  story  in  itself  is  replete  with  interest.  We 
are  taught  by  The  Book  of  sacred  history,  that  the 
disobedience  of  our  first  parents  entailed  on  our 
globe  of  earth  a  sinful  and  a  suffering  race  :  in  our 
time  there  has  sprung  up  from  the  most  abandoned 
of  this  sinful  family — from  pirates,  mutineers,  and 
murderers — a  little  society  which,  under  the  pre- 
cepts of  that  sacred  volume,  is  characterized  by 
religion,  morality,  and  innocence.  The  discovery 
of  this  happy  people,  as  unexpected  as  it  was  ac- 
cidental, and  all  that  regards  their  condition  and 
history,  partake  so  much  of  the  romantic,  as  to 
render  the  story  not  ill  adapted  for  an  epic  poem. 
Lord  Byron,  indeed,  has  partially  treated  the  sub- 
ject ;  but  by  blending  two  incongruous  stories,  and 
leaving  both  of  them  imperfect,  and  by  mixing  up 
fact  with  fiction,  has  been  less  felicitous  than  usual ; 


X  PREFACE. 

for,  beautiful  as  many  passages  in  his  *  Island'  are, 
in  a  region  where  every  tree,  and  flower,  and  foun- 
tain breathe  poetry,  yet  as  a  whole  the  poem  is 
feeble  and  deficient  in  dramatic  efflect. 

There  still  remains  to  us  at  least  one  Poet,  who, 
if  he  could  be  prevailed  on  to  undertake  it,  would 
do  justice  to  the  story.  To  his  suggestion  the 
publication  of  the  present  narrative  owes  its  appear- 
ance. But  a  higher  object  at  present  is  engaging 
his  attention,  which,  when  completed,  judging  from 
that  portion  already  before  the  public,  will  have 
raised  a  splendid  and  lasting  monument  to  the 
name  of  William  Sotheby,  in  his  translation  of  the 
Iliad  and  the  Odyssey. 

To  the  kindness  of  Mrs.  Hey  wood,  the  relict  of 
the  late  Captain  Peter  Hey  wood,  the  Editor  is  in- 
debted for  those  beautiful  and  affectionate  letters, 
♦vritten  by  a  beloved  sister  to  her  unfortunate  bro- 
ther, while  a  prisoner  and  under  sentence  of  death  ; 
as  well  as  for  some  occasional  poetry,  which  dis- 
plays an  intensity  of  feeling,  a  tenderness  of  ex- 
pression, and  a  high  tone  of  sentiment,  that  do 
'lonour  to  the  head  and  heart  of  this  amiable  and 
ccomplished  lady.     Those  letters  also  from  the 
-Other  to  his  deeply  afflicted  family  will  be  read 
/ith  peculiar  interest. 


The  publishers  of  the  present  edition  of  this 
tvork,  in  order  to  render  it  more  acceptable  to  the 
American  public,  have  taken  the  liberty  of  omit- 
ting a  few  of  the  author's  observations  which  were 
not  deemed  necessary  to  the  history,  and  also  of 
slightly  modifying  its  title. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OTAHEITE. 


Brief  description  of  Otalieit6,  as  it  was  :.C  tlie  Time  of  its  first  Disco* 
ery  by  Captain  Wallis,  and  when  subiequently  visited  by  Captain 
Cook Page  13 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

Expedition  of  the  Bounty,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Bligh,  to  convey 
the  Bread-Fruit  Tree  from  Otaheit^  to  the  West  India  Islands. .. .  45 

CHAPTER  III. 

THE    MUTINY. 

Lieutenant  Bligh's  Narrative  of  (he  Mutiny  and  Piratical  Seizure  of  the 
Bounty  by  Mr.  Fletcher  Christian  and  Part  of  the  Crew,  with  Obser* 
vationa  tliereon 63 

CHAPTER  IV 

THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

Narrative  of  the  unparalleled  Voyage  of  Four  Thousand  Miles,  per- 
formed by  Lieutenant  Bligh  and  seventeen  others  in  an  open  Boat     92 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE    PANDORA. 

Narrative  of  the  Expedition  of  the  Ship  Pandora  in  Search  of  the  Muti 
neers — Of  the  Treatment  of  those  taken  on  board  that  Ship  ;  and  ol 
her  Destruction  by  crossing  the  Barrier  Reef  off  the  Coast  of  New 
South  Wales \2a 


XU  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Court-Martial  helal  on  the  Mutineera, 
and  the  Sentence  passed  on  them page  181 

CHAPTER  VII. 

THE    king's    warrant. 

The  King's  Warrant  for  the  Pardon  of  those  recommended  by  the  Court 
to  his  Majesty's  Mercy,  and  for  the  Execution  of  those  condemned  214 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    LAST   OF    THE    MUTINEERS. 

The  Last  of  the  Mutineers  discovered  with  their  Offspring:  on  Pitcaim's 
Island— The  History  and  Fate  of  those  who  carried  off  the  Bounty, 
and  the  present  State  and  Condition  of  their  innocent  Offspring. .  244 


PLATES. 

View  of  a  Creek  in  Matavai  Bay,  Otaheit^ Page  44 

Besidence  of  John  Adams  on  Pitcaim's  Island 97} 


THE 

EVENTFUL  HISTORY 

OF    THE 

MUTINY  OF  THE  BOUNTY, 


CHAPTER  I. 


OTAHEITE. 

•*The  gentle  Island,  and  the  genial  soil, 
The  friendly  hearts,  the  feasts  without  a  toil. 
The  courteous  manners,  but  from  nature  caught, 
The  wealth  unhoarded,  and  the  love  unbought, 

The  bread-tree,  which,  without  the  ploughshare,  yields 

The  unreap'd  harvest  of  unfurrowVl  fields, 

And  bakes  its  unadulterated  loaves 

Without  a  furnace  in  unpurchas'd  groves, 

And  flings  off  famine  from  its  fertile  breast, 

A  priceless  market  for  the  gathrring  guest ; — 

These,"  &c. Byrom.* 

The  rei^  of  George  IH.  will  be  distinguished  in 
history  by  the  great  extension  and  improvement 
which  geographical  knowledge  received  under  the 
immediate  auspices  of  this  sovereign.  At  a  very 
early  period  after  his  accession  to  the  throne  of 
these  realms,  expeditions  of  discovery  were  under- 
taken, "  not,"  as  Dr.  Hawkesworth  observes,  "with  a 
view  to  the  acquisition  of  treasure,  or  the  extent  of 
dominion,  but  for  the  improvement  of  commerce 
and  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge."  This 
(excellent  monarch  was  himself  no  mean  proficient 
in  the  science  of  geography  ;  and  it  may  be  doubted 
if  any  one  of  his  subjects,  at  the  period  alluded  to. 


14  OTAHEITE. 

was  in  possession  of  so  extensive  or  so  well-arranged 
a  cabinet  of  maps  and  charts  as  his  was,  or  who 
understood  their  merits  or  their  defects  so  well  as 
he  did. 

The  first  expeditions  that  were  sent  forth,  after 
the  conclusion  of  the  war,  were  those  of  Byron, 
Walhs,  and  Carteret.  In  the  instructions  to  the 
first  of  these  commanders  it  is  said,  "  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  lands  and  islands  of  great  extent, 
hitherto  unvisited  by  any  European  power,  may  be 
found  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  between  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  and  the  Magellanic  Strait,  within  the 
latitudes  convenient  for  navigation,  and  in  climates 
adapted  to  the  produce  of  commodities  useful  in 
commerce."  It  could  not  require  much  knowledge 
or  consideration  to  be  assured  that  between  the 
Cape  and  the  Strait  climates  producing  commodities 
useful  in  commerce,  with  the  exception  of  whales 
and  seals,  were  likely  to  be  found.  The  fact  was, 
that  among  the  real  objects  of  this  and  other  subse- 
quent voyages,  there  was  one  which  had  engaged 
the  attention  of  certain  philosophers,  from  the  time 
of  the  Spanish  navigator  Quiros :  this  able  navigator 
had  maintained  that  a  Terra  Australis  incognita  must 
necessarily  exist,  somewhere  in  the  high  latitudes 
of  the  southern  hemisphere,  to  counterbalance  the 
great  masses  of  land  in  those  of  the  northern  one, 
and  thus  maintain  a  just  equipoise  of  the  globe. 

While  these  expeditions  were  in  progress,  the 
Royal  Society,  in  1768,  addressed  an  application  to 
the  king,  praying  him  to  appoint  a  ship  of  war  to 
convey  to  the  South  Seas  Mr.  Alexander  Dalrymple 
(who  had  adopted  the  opinion  of  Quiros),  and  cer- 
tain others,  for  the  main  purpose,  however,  of  ob- 
serving the  transit  of  Venus  over  the  sun's  disk, 
which  was  to  happen  in  the  year  1769.  By  the 
king's  command,  a  bark  of  three  hundred  and  seventy 
tons  was  taken  up  by  the  Admiralty  to  perform  this 
service,  but  as  Mr.  Dalrymple  was  a  civilian,  he 


OTAHEITE.  15 

could  not  be  intrHsted  with  the  command  of  the 
ship,  and  on  that  account  dechned  going  in  her. 

The  command  was  therefore  conferred  on  Lieu- 
tenant James  Cook,  an  officer  of  undoubted  abihty, 
and  well  versed  in  astronomy  and  the  theory  and 
practice  of  navigation,  with  whom  the  Royal  Society 
associated  Mr.  Charles  Green,  who  had  long  been 
assistant  to  Dr.  Bradley,  the  astronomer  royal,  to 
aid  him  in  the  observation  of  the  transit.  Mr.  Banks, 
a  private  gentleman  of  good  fortune,  who  afterAvard 
became  the  valuable  and  distinguished  President  of 
the  Royal  Society,  and  Dr.  Solander,  a  Swedish 
gentleman  of  great  acquirements,  particularly  in 
natural  history,  accompanied  Lieutenant  Cook  on 
this  interesting  voyage.  The  islands  of  Marquesas 
de  Mendoza,  or  those  of  Rotterdam  or  Amsterdam, 
were  proposed  by  the  Royal  Society  as  proper 
places  for  making  the  obserA'ation.  While  fitting 
out,  however,  Captain  Wallis  returned  from  his  ex- 
pedition, and  strongly  recommended,  as  most  suit- 
able for  the  purpose,  Port  Royal  Harbour,  on  an 
island  he  had  discovered,  to  which  he  had  given  the 
name  of"  King  George's  Island,"  and  which  has  since 
been  known  by  its  native  name,  Otaheite  or  Tahite.* 

This  lovely  island  is  most  intimately  connected 
with  the  mutiny  which  took  place  on  board  the 
Bounty,  and  with  the  fate  of  the  mutineers  and  their 
innocent  offspring.  Its  many  seducing  temptations 
have  been  urged  as  one,  if  n(  it  the  main,  cause  of  the 
mutiny,  which  w^as  supposed,  at  least  by  the  com- 
mander o-f  that  ship,  to  have  been  excited  by 

"  Young  hearts  which  languished  for  some  sunny  isle, 
Where  summer  years,  and  summer  women  smile, 


*  The  discovery  of  this  island  is  owing  to  Fernandez  de  Quiros  in 
1606.  which  he  named  La  Sa^ittann.  Some  doubts  were  at  first  enter- 
tained of  its  identity  with  Oiaheite,  but  the  small  difference  of  a  few 
miles  in  latitude,  and  about  two  lie'^irees  of  longitude,  the  description  as 
to  size,  the  low  isthmus,  the  (;;e;iani-e  from  it  of  any  other  island  at  all 
similar,  and  above  all,  the  gtH-rrviiii-'al  jKisition — all  prove  its  identity— 
altho^jgh  Quiros  calls  u.  \vnit  it  ctriainiy  is  not,  a  low  island. 


16  OTAHEITE. 

Men  without  country,  who,  too  long  estrange 
Had  found  no  native  home,  or  fojind  it  changeu^ 
And,  half  uncivilized,  preferred  the  cave 
Of  some  soft  savage  to  the  uncenain  wave." 

It  may  be  proper,  therefore,  as  introductory  to 
the  present  narrative,  to  f^ive  a  g'eneral  description 
of  the  rich  and  spontaneous  gifts  which  Nature  has 
lavished  on  this  once  "  happy  island  ;" — of  the  simple 
and  ingenuous  manners  of  its  natives,— and  of  those 
allurements  which  were  supposed,  erroneously  how- 
ever, to  have  occasioned  the  unfortunate  catastrophe 
alluded  to ; — to  glance  at 

"  The  nymphs'  sedacements  and  the  magic  bower," 

as  they  existed  at  the  period  of  the  first  intercourse 
between  the  Otaheitans  and  the  crews  of  those 
ships  which  carried  to  their  shores,  in  succession, 
Wallis,  Bougainville,  and  Cook. 

The  first  communication  which  Wallis  had  with 
these  j>eople  was  unfortunately  of  a  hostile  nature. 
Having  approached  with  his  ship  close  to  the  shore, 
the  usual  symbol  of  peace  and  friendship,  a  branch 
of  the  plantain-tree,  was  held  up  by  a  native  in  one 
of  the  numerous  canoes  that  surrounded  the  ship. 
Great  numbers,  on  being  invited,  crowded  on  board 
the  stranger  ship,  but  one  of  them,  be4ng  butted  on 
the  haunches  by  a  goat,  and  turning  hastily  round, 
perceived  it  rearing  on  its  hind  legs,  ready  to  repeat 
the  blow,  was  so  terrified  at  the  appearance  of  this 
strange  animal,  so  different  from  any  he  had  ever 
seen,  that,  in  the  moment  of  terror,  he  jumped  over- 
board, and  all  the  rest  followed  his  example  Avith 
the  utmost  precipitation. 

This  little  incident,  however,  produced  no  mis- 
chief; but  as  the  boats  were  sounding  in  the  bay, 
and  several  canoes  crowding  round  them,  Wallis 
suspected  the  islanders  had  a  design  to  attack  them, 
and,  on  this  mere  suspicion,  ordered  the  boats  by 
signal  to  come  on  board, "  and  at  the  same  time,"  he 


OTAHEITE.  17 

says,  "to  intimidate  the  Indians,  I  fired  a  nine- 
pounder  over  their  heads."  This,  as  might  have 
been  imagined,  startled  the  islanders,  but  did  not 
prevent  them  from  attempting  immediately  to  cut 
off  the  cutter,  as  she  was  standing  towards  the  ship. 
Several  stones  were  thrown  into  this  boat,  on  which 
the  commanding  officer  fired  a  musket,  loaded  with 
buckshot,  at  the  man  who  threw  the  first  stone, 
and  wounded  him  in  the  shoulder. 

Finding  no  good  anchorage  at  this  place,  the  ship 
proceeded  to  another  part  of  the  island,  where,  on 
one  of  the  boats  being  assailed  by  the  Indians  in  two 
or  three  canoes,  with  their  clubs  and  paddles  in  their 
hands,  "  Our  people,"  says  the  commander,  "  being 
much  pressed,  were  obliged  to  fire,  by  which  one  of 
the  assailants  was  killed,  and  another  much  wounded." 
This  unlucky  rencounter  did  not,  however,  prevent, 
as  soon  as  the  ship  was  moored,  a  great  number  of 
canoes  from  coming  off"  the  next  morning,  with  hogs, 
fowls,  and  fruit.  A  brisk  traffic  soon  commenced, 
our  people"  exchanging  knives,  nails,  and  trinkets 
for  more  substantial  articles  of  food,  of  which  they 
were  in  want.  Among  the  canoes  that  came  out 
last  were  some  double  ones  of  very  large  size,  with 
twelve  or  fifteen  stout  men  in  each,  and  it  was  ob- 
served that  they  had  little  on  board  except  a  quan- 
tity of  round  pebble  stones.  Other  canoes  came  off 
along  with  them,  having  only  women  on  board  ; 
and  while  these  females  v/ere  assiduously  practising 
their  allurements,  by  attitudes  that  could  not  be  mis- 
understood, with  the  view,  as  it  would  seem,  to  dis- 
tract the  attention  of  the  crew,  the  large  double 
canoes  closed  round  the  ship ;  and  as  these  advanced, 
some  of  the  men  began  singing,  some  blowing 
conchs,  and  others  playing  on  flutes.  One  of  them, 
with  a  person  sitting  under  a  canopy,  approached 
£he  ship  so  close,  as  to  allow  this  person  to  hand  up 
a  bunch  of  red  and  yellow  feathers,  making  signs  it 
was  for  the  captain.     He  then  put  off"  to  a  little  dis;- 


18  OTAHEITE. 

tance,  and,  on  holding-  up  the  branch  of  a  cocoanut- 
tree,  there  was  a  universal  shout  from  all  the 
canoes,  which  at  the  same  moment  moved  towards 
the  ship,  and  a  sliower  of  stones  was  poured  into 
her  on  every  side.  The  guard  was  now  ordered  to 
fire,  and  two  of  the  quarter-deck  guns,  loaded  with 
small  shot,  were  fired  among  them  at  the  same  time, 
which  created  great  terror  and  confusion,  and  caused 
them  to  retreat  to  a  short  distance.  In  a  few  min- 
utes, however,  they  renewed  the  attack.  The  great 
guns  were  now  ordered  to  be  discharged  among 
them,  and  also  into  a  mass  of  canoes  that  were  put- 
ting off"  from  the  shore.  It  is  stated,  that  at  this 
time  there  could  not  be  less  than  three  hundred 
canoes  about  the  ship,  having  on  board  at  least  two 
thousand  men.  Again  they  dispersed,  but  having 
soon  collected  into  something  like  order,  they  hoisted 
white  streamers,  and  pulled  towards  the  ship's  stern, 
when  they  again  began  to  throw  stones  with  great 
force  and  dexterity,  by  the  help  of  slings,  each  of 
the  stones  weighing  about  two  pounds,  and  many 
of  them  wounded  the  people  on  board.  At  length 
a  shot  hit  the  canoe  that  apparently  had  the  chief 
on  board,  and  cut  it  asunder.  This  was  no  sooner 
observed  by  the  rest  than  they  all  dispersed,  in  such 
haste  that  in  half  an  hour  there  was  not  a  single 
canoe  to  be  seen ;  and  all  the  people  who  had 
crowded  the  shore  fled  over  the  hills  with  the  ut- 
most precipitation.  What  was  to  happen  on  the 
following  day  was  matter  of  conjecture,  but  this 
point  was  soon  decided. 

"The  Avhite  man  landed  ; — need  the  rest  be  told? 
The  nev/  world  stretch'(Mlsdusk  hand  to  the  old." 

Lieutenant  Furneaux,  on  the  next  morning,  landed 
without  opposition  close  to  a  fine  river  that  fell  into 
the  bay, — stuck  up  a  staff  on  which  was  hoisted  a 
pendant, — turned  a  turf, — and  by  this  process  took 
possession  of  the  island  in  the  name  of  his  majesty, 


OTAHEITE.  19 

and  called  it  King  George  the  Third's  Island.  Just 
as  he  was  embarking,  an  old  man,  to  whom  the  lieu- 
tenant had  given  a  few  trifles,  brought  some  green 
boughs,  which  he  threw  down  at  the  foot  of  the 
staff,  then  retiring,  brought  about  a  dozen  of  his 
countrymen,  who  approached  the  staff  in  a  suppli- 
cating posture,  then  retired  and  brought  two  live 
hogs,  which  they  laid  down  at  the  foot  of  the  staff, 
and  tlien  began  to  dance.  After  this  ceremony  the 
hogs  were  put  into  a  canoe,  and  the  old  man  carried 
them  on  board,  handing  up  several  green  plantain 
leaves,  and  uttering  a  sentence  on  the  delivery  of 
each.  Some  presents  were  offered  him  i^i  return, 
but  he  would  accept  of  none. 

Concluding  that  peace  was  now  estabhshed,  and 
that  no  further  attack  would  be  made,  the  boats 
were  sent  on  shore  the  following  day  to  get  water. 
While  the  casks  were  filling,  several  natives  w^ere 
perceived  coming  from  behind  the  hills  and  through 
the  woods,  and  at  the  same  time  a  multitude  of 
canoes  from  behind  a  projecting  point  of  the  bay 
As  these  were  discovered  to  be  laden  with  stones 
and  were  making  towards  the  ship,  it  was  concluded 
their  intention  was  to  try  their  fortune  in  a  second 
grand  attack.  "  As  to  shorten  the  contest  would 
certainly  lessen  the  mischief,  I  determined,"  says 
Captain  Wallis,  "  to  make  this  action  decisive,  and 
put  au  end  to  hostilities  at  once."  Accordingly  a 
tremendous  fire  was  opened  at  once  on  all  the 
groups  of  canoes,  which  had  the  effect  of  imme- 
diately dispersing  them.  The  fire  was  then  directed 
into  the  wood,  to  drive  out  the  islanders,  who  had 
assembled  in  large  numbers,  on  which  they  all  fled 
to  the  hill,  where  the  women  and  children  had  seated 
themselves.  Here  they  collected  to  the  amount  of 
several  thousands,  imagining  themselves  at  that  dis- 
tance to  be  perfectly  safe.  The  captain,  however, 
ordered  four  shot  to  be  fired  over  them  ;  but  two  of 
he  balls  liaving  fallen  close  to  a  tree  where  a  numbei 


20  OTAHEITE. 

of  thciii  were  sitting,  they  were  so  struck  with  terror 
and  consternation,  that  in  less  than  two  minutes 
not  a  creature  was  to  be  seen.  The  coast  being 
cleared,  the  boats  were  manned  and  armed,  and  all 
the  carpenters  with  their  axes  were  sent  on  shore, 
with  directions  to  destroy  every  canoe  they  could 
find ;  and  we  are  told  this  service  was  effectually 
performed,  and  that  more  than  fifty  canoes,  many  of 
which  were  sixty  feet  long  and  three  broad,  and 
lashed  together,  were  cut  to  pieces. 

This  act  of  severity  must  have  been  cruelly  felt 
by  these  poor  people,  who,  without  iron  or  any  kind 
of  tools,  but  such  as  stones,  shells,  teeth,  and  bones 
supplied  them  with,  must  have  spent  months  and 
probably  years  in  the  construction  of  one  of  these 
extraordinary  double  boats. 

Such  was  the  inauspicious  commencement  of  our 
acquaintance  with  the  natives  of  Otaheite.  Their 
determined  hostility  and  perseverance  in  an  unequal 
combat  could  only  have  arisen  from  one  of  two 
motives — either  from  an  opinion  that  a  ship  of  such 
magnitude  as  they  had  never  before  beheld  could 
only  be  come  to  their  coast  to  take  their  country 
from  them  ;  or  an  irresistible  temptation  to  endea- 
vour, at  all  hazards,  to  possess  themselves  of  so 
valuable  a  prize.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  dread  in- 
spired by  the  effects  of  the  cannon,  and  perhaps  a 
conviction  of  the  truth  of  what  had  been  explained 
to  them,  that  the  "  strangers  wanted  only  provisions 
and  water,"  had  the  effect  of  allaying  all  jealousy; 
for  from  the  day  of  the  last  action,  the  most  friendly 
and  uninterrupted  intercourse  was  established,  and 
contmued  to  the  day  of  the  Dolphin's  departure ; 
and  provisions  of  all  kinds,  hogs,  dogs,  fruit,  and 
vegetables,  weie  supplied  in  the  greatest  abundance, 
hi  exchange  for  pieces  of  iron,  nails,  and  frinkets. 

As  a  proof  of  the  readiness  of  these  simple 
people  to  forgive  injuries,  a  poor  woman,  accompa- 
nied by  a  young  man  bearing  a  branch  of  the  plan- 


OTAHEITE. 


21 


tain-tree,  and  another  man  with  two  hoa:s,  ap- 
proached the  gunner,  whom  Captain  Wallis  had 
appointed  to  regulate  the  market,  and  looking  round 
on  the  strangers  with  great  attention,  fixnig  her  eyes 
sometimes  on  one  and  sometimes  on  another,  at 
length  burst  into  tears.  It  appeared  that  her  hus- 
band and  three  of  her  sons  had  been  killed  in  the 
attack  on  the  ship.  While  this  was  under  explana- 
tion, the  poor  creature  was  so  affected  as  to  require 
the  support  of  the  two  young  men,  who  from  their 
weeping  were  probably  two  more  of  her  sons. 
"When  somewhat  composed,  she  ordered  the  two 
hogs  to  be  delivered  to  the  gunner,  and  gave  him  her 
hand  in  token  of  friendship,  but  would  accept  nothing 
in  return. 

Captain  Wallis  was  now  so  well  satisfied  that 
there  was  nothing  further  to  apprehend  from  the 
hostility  of  the  natives,  that  he  sent  a  party  up  the 
country  to  cut  wood,  who  were  treated  with  great 
kindness  and  hospitality  by  all  they  met,  and  the 
ship  was  visited  by  persons  of  both  sexes,  who  by 
their  dress  and  behaviour  appeared  to  be  of  a  supe- 
rior rank.  Among  others  was  a  tall  lady  about  five- 
and-forty  years  of  age,  of  a  pleasing  countenance 
and  majestic  deportment.  She  was  under  no  re- 
straint, either  from  diffidence  or  fear,  and  conducted 
herself  with  that  easy  freedom  which  generally  dis- 
tinguishes conscious  superiority  and  habitual  com- 
mand. She  accepted  some  small  present  which  the 
captain  gave  her,  with  a  good  grace  and  much  plea- 
sure ;  and  having  observed  that  he  was  weak  and 
suffering  from  ill  health,  she  pointed  to  the  shore, 
which  he  understood  to  be  an  invitation,  and  made 
signs  that  he  would  go  thither  the  next  morning. 
His  visit  to  this  lady  displays  so  much  character  and 
good  feeling,  that  it  will  best  be  described  in  the 
captain's  own  words. 

"  The  next  morning  I  went  on  shore  for  the  first 
time,  and  my  princess,  or  rather  queen,  for  such  by 


22 


OTAHEITE. 


her  authority  she  appeared  to  be,  soon  after  came 
to  me,  followed  by  many  of  her  attendants.  As  she 
perceived  that  my  disorder  had  left  me  very  weak, 
she  ordered  her  people  to  take  me  in  their  arms,  and 
carry  me,  not  only  over  the  river,  but  all  the  way  to 
her  house ;  and  observing  that  some  of  the  people 
who  were  with  me,  particularly  the  first  lieutenant 
and  purser,  had  also  been  sick,  she  caused  them  also 
to  be  carried  in  the  same  manner,  and  a  guard, 
which  I  had  ordered  out  upon  the  occasion,  fol- 
lowed. In  our  way,  avast  multitude  crowded  about 
us,  but  upon  her  waving  her  hand,  without  speaking 
a  word,  they  withdrew,  and  left  us  a  free  passage. 
When  we  approached  near  her  house,  a  great  num- 
ber of  both  sexes- came  out  to  meet  her;  these  she 
presented  to  me,  after  having  intimated  by  signs 
that  they  were  her  relations,  and  taking  hold  of  my 
hand  she  made  them  kiss  it. 

"  We  then  entered  the  house,  which  covered  a 
piece  of  ground  three  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
feet  long,  and  forty-two  feet  broad.  It  consisted  of 
a  roof  thatched  with  palm  leaves,  and  raised  upon 
thirty-nine  pillars  on  each  side,  and  fourteen  in  the 
middle.  The  ridge  of  the  thatch,  on  the  inside,  was 
thirty  feet  high,  and  the  sides  of  the  house,  to  the 
edge  of  the  roof,  were  twelve  feet  high  ;  all  below 
the  roof  being  open.  As  soon  as  we  entered  the 
house  she  made  us  sit  down,  and  then  calling  four 
young  girls,  she  assisted  them  to  take  off  my  shoes, 
draw  down  my  stockings,  and  pull  off  my  coat,  and 
then  directed  them  to  smooth  down  the  skin,  and 
gently  chafe  it  Avith  their  hands.  The  same  opera- 
tion was  also  performed  on  the  first  lieutenant  and 
the  purser,  but  upon  none  of  those  who  appeared  to 
be  in  health.  While  this  was  doing,  our  surgeon, 
who  had  walked  till  he  was  very  warm,  took  off  his 
wig  to  cool  and  refresh  himself :  a  sudden  exclama- 
tion of  one  of  the  Indians,  who  saw  it,  drew  the 
attention  of  the  rest,  and  in  a  moment  every  eye 


3TAHEITE.  23 

was  fixed  upon  the  prodigy,  and  every  operation 
was  suspended.  The  whole  assembly  stood  some 
time  motionless,  in  silent  astonishment,  which  could 
not  have  been  more  strongly  expressed  if  the}^  had 
discovered  that  our  friend's  limbs  had  been  screwed 
on  to  the  trunk.  In  a  short  time,  however,  the 
young  women  who  were  chafing  us  resumed  their 
employment,  and  having  continued  for  about  half  an 
hour,  they  dressed  us  again,  but  in  this  they  were, 
as  may  easily  be  imagined,  very  awkward ;  I  found 
great  benefit,  however,  from  the  chafing,  and  so  did 
the  lieutenant  and  the  purser. 

"  After  a  little  time  our  generous  benefactress  or- 
dered some  bales  of  Indian  cloth  to  be  brought  out, 
with  which  she  clothed  me  and  all  that  were  with 
me,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  country.  At  first 
1  declined  the  acceptance  of  this  favour;  but  being 
unwilling  not  to  seem  pleased  Avith  what  was  in- 
tended to  please  me,  I  acquiesced.  When  we  went 
away,  she  ordered  a  very  large  sow  big  with  3'oung 
to  be  taken  down  to  the  boat,  and  accompanied  us 
thither  herself.  She  had  given  directions  to  her 
people  to  carry  me,  as  they  had  done  when  I  came, 
but  as  I  chose  rather  to  walk,  she  took  me  by  the 
arm,  and  whenever  we  came  to  a  plash  of  water  or 
dirt,  she  lifted  me  over  with  as  little  trouble  as  it 
would  have  cost  me  to  have  lifted  over  a  child  if  1 
had  been  well." 

The  following  morning  Captain  Wallis  sent  her  a 
present  by  the  gunner,  who  found  her  in  the  midst 
of  an  entertainment  given  to  at  least  a  thousand 
people.  The  messes  were  put  into  shells  of  cocoa- 
nuts,  and  the  shells  into  wooden  trays,  like  those 
used  by  our  butchers,  and  she  distributed  them  with 
her  own  hands  to  the  guests,  who  were  seated  in 
rov/s  in  the  open  air  round  the  great  house.  When 
tliis  was  done  she  sat  down  herself  upon  a  place 
somi  what  elevated  above  the  rest,  and  tv/o  women, 
placing  themselves  one  on  each  side  oi"  her,  fed  hr>y 


24 


OTAHEITE. 


she  opening  her  mouth  as  they  brought  their  hands 
up  with  the  food.  From  this  time  provisions  were 
sent  to  market  in  the  greatest  abundance.  The  queen 
frequently  visited  the  captain  on  board,  and  always 
with  a  present ;  but  she  never  condescended  to.  bar- 
ter, nor  would  she  accept  of  any  return. 

One  day,  after  visiting  her  at  her  house,  the  cap- 
tain at  parting  made  her  comprehend  by  signs  that  he 
intended  to  quit  the  island  in  seven  days.  She  im- 
mediately understood  his  meaning,  and  by  similar 
signs  expressed  her  wish  that  he  should  stay  twenty 
days,  that  he  should  go  with  her  a  couple  of  days' 
journey  into  the  country,  stay  there  a  few  days,  re- 
turn with  plenty  of  hogs  and  poultry,  and  then  go 
away;  but  on  persisting  in  his  first  intention  she 
burst  into  tears,  and  it  was  not  without  great  diffi- 
culty that  she  could  be  pacified.  The  next  time  that 
she  went  on  board  Captain  Wallis  ordered  a  good 
dinner  for  her  entertainment  and  those  chiefs  who 
were  of  her  party ;  but  the  queen  would  neither  eat 
nor  drink.  As  she  was  going  over  the  ship's  side 
she  asked,  by  signs,  whether  he  still  persisted  in  leav- 
ing the  island  at  the  time  he  had  fixed ;  and  on  re- 
ceiving an  answer  in  the  affirmative,  she  expressed 
her  regret  by  a  flood  of  tears ;  and  as  soon  as  her 
passion  subsided  she  told  the  captain  that  she  would 
come  on  board  again  the  following  day. 

Accordingly  the  next  day  she  again  visited  the 
ship  twice,  bringing  each  time  large  presents  of  hogs, 
fowls,  and  fruits.  The  captain,  after  expressing  his 
sense  of  her  kindness  and  bounty,  announced  his  in- 
tention of  sailing  the  following  morning.  This,  as 
usual,  threw  her  into  tears,  and,  after  recovering 
herself,  she  made  anxious  inquiry  when  he  should 
return.  He  said  in  fifty  days,  with  which  she  seemed 
to  be  satisfied.  "  She  staid  on  board,"  says  Captain 
Wallis,  "  till  night,  and  it  was  then  with  the  greatest 
difficulty  that  she  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  eo  on 
shore.     \^nien  she  was  told  that  the  boat  was  ready, 


OTAHEITE.  25 

she  threw  herself  down  upon  the  arm-chest,  and 
wept  a  long-  time  with  an  excess  of  passion  that 
conld  not  be  pacified.  At  last,  however,  with  the 
greatest  rekictance,  she  was  prevailed  upon  to  g-o  jito 
the  boat,  and  was  followed  by  her  attendants." 

The  next  day,  while  the  ship  was  unmooring,  the 
whole  beach  was  covered  with  the  inhabitants.  The 
queen  came  down,  and,  having  ordered  a  double 
canoe  to  be  launched,  was  rowed  off  by  her  own 
people,  followed  by  fifteen  or  sixteen  other  canoes. 
She  soon  made  her  appearance  on  board,  but,  not 
being  able  to  speak,  she  sat  down,  and  gave  vent  to 
her  passion  by  weeping.  Shortly  H.fter,  a  breeze 
springing  up,  the  ship  made  sail ;  and  finding  it  now 
necessary  to  return  into  her  canoe.  "  she  embraced 
us  all,"  says  Captain  Walhs,  "  in  the  nx)st  affection- 
ate manner,  and  with  many  tears ;  all  her  attendants 
also  expressed  great  sorrow  at  our  departure.  In  a 
few  minutes  she  came  into  the  bow  of  her  canoe, 
where  she  sat  weeping  with  inconsolable  sorrow.  I 
gave  her  many  things  which  I  thought  would  be  of 
great  use  to  her,  and  some  for  ornament.  She  si- 
lently accepted  of  all,  but  took  little  notice  of  any 
thing.  About  ten  o'clock  we  had  got  without  the 
reef,  and  a  fresh  breeze  springing  up,  our  Indian 
friends,  and  particularly  the  queen,  once  more  bade 
us  farewell,  with  such  tendeniess  of  affection  and 
grief  as  filled  both  my  heart  and  my  eyes." 

The  tender  passion  had  certainly  caught  hold  of 
one  or  both  of  these  v/orthies ;  and  if  her  majesty's 
language  had  been  as  well  understood  by  Captain 
Wallis  as  that  of  Dido  was  to  ^Eneas  when  pressing 
him  to  stay  with  her,  there  is  no  doubt  it  v/ould 
have  been  found  not  less  pathetic. 

Nee  te  noster  amor,  nee  te  data  dextera  quondam, 
Nee  moritura  tenet  crudeli  funere  Dido  ? 

This  lady,  however,  did  not  sink,  like  the  '♦  miser- 
rima  Dido,"  under  her  griefs ;  on  the  contrary,  we 


26- 


OTAHEITF. 


find  her  in  full  activity  and  animation,  and  equally 
generous  to  Lieut.  Cook  and  his  party,  under  the 
name  of  Oberea,  who,  it  now  appeared,  was  no  queen, 
but  whose  husband  they  discovered  was  uncle  to  the 
young  king,  then  a  minor,  but  from  whom  she  was 
separated.  She  soon  evinced  a  partiality  for  Mr 
Banks,  though  not  quite  so  strong  as  that  for  Wallis , 
but  it  appears  to  have  been  mutual,  until  an  unlucky 
discovery  took  place  that  she  had  at  her  command 
a  stout,  strong-boned  cavaliere  servente ;  added  to 
which,  a  theft  rather  of  an  amusing  nature  contrib- 
uted for  a  time  to  create  a  coolness,  and  somewhat 
\o  disturb  the  good  understanding  that  had  subsisted 
between  them.  It  happened  that  a  party,  consisting 
of  Cook,  Banks,  Solander,  and  three  or7our  others, 
was  benighted  at  a  distance  from  the  anchorage. 
Mr.  Banks,  says  Lieut.  Cook,  thought  himself  fortu- 
nate in  being  offered  a  place  by  Oberea  in  her  own 
canoe,  and,  wishing  his  friends  a  good  night,  took 
his  leave.  He  went  to  rest  early,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country ;  and  taking  off  his  clothes,  as 
was  his  constant  practice,  the  nig'lits  being  hot,  Obe- 
rea kindly  insisted  upon  taking  them  into  her  own 
custody,  for  otherwise,  she  said,  they  would  cer- 
tainly be  stolen.  Mr.  Banks,  having,  as  he  thought, 
so  good  a  safeguard,  resigned  himself  to  sleep  with 
all  imaginable  tranquilhty ;  but  awakening  about 
eleven  o'clock,  and  wanting  to  get  up,  he  searched 
for  his  clothes  Avhere  he  had  seen  them  carefully 
deposited  by  Oberea  when  he  lay  down  to  sleep,  and 
perceived,  to  his  sorrow  and  surprise,  that  they  were 
missing.  He  immediately  awakened  Oberea,  who, 
starting  up  and  hearing  his  complaint,  ordered  lights, 
and  prepared  in  great  haste  to  recover  what  had  been 
lost.  Tootahah,  the  regent,  slept  in  the  next  canoe, 
and,  being  soon  alarmed,  he  came  to  them,  and  set 
out  with  Oberea  in  search  of  the  thiel.  Mr.  Banks 
was  not  in  a  condition  to  go  with  them,  as  of  his 
apparel  scarcely  any  thing  was  left  him  but  his 


OTAHEITE.  27 

breeches.  In  about  half  an  hour  his  two  noble 
friends  returned,  but  without  having  obtained  any 
intelligence  of  his  clothes  or  of  the  thief.  Where 
Cook  and  Solander  had  disposed  of  themselves  he 
did  not  know ;  but  hearing  music,  Vv^hich  was  sure 
to  bring  a  crowd  together,  in  which  there  was  a 
chance  of  his  associates  being  among  them,  he  rose, 
and  made  the  bes%of  his  way  towards  it,  and  joined 
liis  party,  as  Cook  says,  "  more  than  half-naked,  and 
told  us  his  melancholy  story." 

It  was  some  consolation  to  find  that  his  friends 
were  fellow-sufferers,  Cook  having  lost  his  stockings, 
that  had  been  stolen  from  under  his  head,  though  he 
had  never  been  asleep,  and  his  associates  their  jack- 
ets- At  daybreak  Oberea  brought  to  Mr.  Banks  some 
of  her  countiy  clothes;  "so  that  when  he  came  to 
us,"  says  Cook,  "he  made  a  most  motley  appear- 
ance, half  Indian  and  half  English."  Such  an  adven- 
ture must  have  been  highly  amusing  to  him  who 
was  the  object  of  it  when  the  inconvenience  had 
been  removed,  as  every  one  will  admit  who  knew 
the  late  venerable  president  of  the  Royal  Society. 
He  never  doubted,  however,  that  Oberea  was  privy 
to  the  theft,  and  there  was  strong  suspicion  of  her 
having  some  of  the  articles  in  her  custody.  Being 
aware  that  this  feehng  existed,  she  absented  herself 
for  some  time,  and  when  she  again  appeared  she 
said  a  favourite  of  hers  h'ad  taken  them  away,  whom 
she  had  beaten  and  dismissed ;  "  but  she  seemed 
conscious,"  says  Cook,  "  that  she  had  no  right  to  be 
believed ;  she  discovered  the  strongest  signs  of  fear, 
yet  she  surmounted  it  with  astonishing  resolution, 
and  was  very  pressing  to  be  allowed  to  sleep  with 
her  attendants  in  Mr.  Banks's  tent.  In  this,  how- 
ever, she  was  not  gratified."  Sir  Joseph  might  have 
thought,  that  if  he  complied  with  her  requesf  his 
breeches  might  be  in  danger  of  following  the  other 
articles  of  his  dress. 

The  Otaheitans  cannot  resist  pilfering.     "  f  must 


28  OTAHEITE. 

bear  my  testimony,"  says  Cook, "  that  the  people  of 
this  country,  of  all  ranks,  men  and  women,  are  the 
arrantest  thieves  upon  the  face  of  the  earth ;  but," 
he  adds,  "  we  must  not  hastity  conclude  that  theft  is 
a  testimony  of  the  same  depravity  in  them  that  it  is 
in  us,  in  the  instances  in  vvhich  our  people  were  suf- 
ferers by  their  dishonesty;  for  their  temptation  was 
such  as  to  surmount  what  would  fee  considered  as  a 
proof  of  uncommon  integrity  among  those  who  have 
more  knovrledge,  better  principles,  and  stronger  mo- 
tives to  resist  the  temptations  of  ilhcit  advantage 
An  Indian  among  penny  knives  and  beads,  and  even 
nails  and  broken  glass,  is  in  the  same  state  of  mind 
with  the  meanest  servant  in  Europe  among  unlocked 
coffers  of  jewels  and  gold."  Captain  Wallis  has 
illustrated  the  truth  of  this  position  by  an  experi- 
ment he  made  on  some  persons  whose  dress  and  be- 
haviour indicated  that  they  were  of  a  superior  cast. 
"  To  discover  what  present,"  he  says,  "would  most 
gratify  them,  I  laid  down  before  them  a  Johannes,  a 
guinea,  a  crown-piece,  a  Spanish  dollar,  a  few  shil 
lings,  some  new  halfpence,  and  two  large  nails, 
making  signs  that  they  should  take  what  they  liked 
best.  The  nails  were  first  seized  with  great  eager- 
ness, and  then  a  few  of  the  halfpence,  but  the  silver 
and  gold  lay  neglected."  Here,  then,  it  might  with 
truth  be  said  was  discovered 

The  goldless  age  where  gold  disturbs  no  dreams. 

But  their  thirst  after  iron  was  irresistible.  Wallis's 
ship  was  stripped  of  all  the  nails  in  her  by  the  sea- 
men to  purchase  the  good  graces  of  the  women,  who 
assembled  in  crowds  on  the  shore.  The  men  even 
drew  out  of  different  parts  of  the  ship  those  nails 
that  fastened  the  cleats  to  her  side.  This  commerce 
established  with  the  Avomen  rendered  the  men,  as 
might  readily  be  expected,  less  obedient  to  com- 
mand, and  made  it  necessary  to  punish  some  of  them 
by  flogging.  The  Otaheitans  regarded  this  punish- 
went  with  horror.     One  of  Cook's  men  having  in- 


OTAHEITE.  29 

Stilted  a  chief's  wife,  he  was  ordered  to  be  flog-ged 
in  their  presence.  The  Indians  saw  him  stripped 
and  tied  up  to  the  rigging  with  a  fixed  attention, 
waiting  in  silent  suspense  for  the  event ;  but  as  soon 
as  the  first  stroke  was  given  they  interfered  with 
great  agitation,  earnestly  entreating  Vhat  the  rest  of 
the  punishment  might  be  remitted ;  and  when  they 
found  they  were  unable  to  prevail,  they  gave  vent  to 
their  pity  by  tears.  "  But  their  tears,"  as  Cook  ob- 
serves, "  like  those  of  children,  were  aUvays  ready 
to  express  any  passion  that  Avas  strongly  excited, 
and,  like  those  of  children,  they  also  appeared  to  be 
forgotten  as  soon  as  shed."  And  he  instances  this 
by  the  following  incident : — Mr.  Banks,  seeing  a 
young  woman  in  great  affiiction,  the  tears  streaming 
from  her  eyes,  inquired  earnestly  the  cause ;  but  in- 
stead of  answering,  she  took  from  under  her  garment 
a  shark's  tooth,  and  struck  it  six  or  seven  times  into 
her  head  with  great  force ;  a  profusion  of  blood  fol- 
lowed, and,  disregarding  his  inquiries,  she  continued 
to  talk  loud  in  a  melancholy  tone,  while  those  around 
were  laughing  and  talking  without  taking  the  least 
notice  of  her  distress.  The  bleeding  having  ceased, 
she  looked  up  with  a  smile,  and,  collecting  the  pieces 
of  cloth  which  she  had  used  to  stanch  the  blood, 
threw  them  into  the  sea;  then  plunging  into  the 
river,  and  washing  her  whole  body,  she  returned  to 
the  tents  with  the  same  gayety  and  cheerfulness  as 
if  nothing  had  happened.  The  same  thing  occurred 
in  the  case  of  a  chief,  who  had  given  great  offence 
to  Mr.  Banks,  when  he  and  all  his  followers  were  over- 
whelmed with  grief  and  dejection ;  but  one  of  his 
women  having  struck  a  shark's  tooth  into  her  head 
several  times  till  it  was  covered  with  blood,  the 
scene  was  immediately  changed,  and  laughing  and 
good-humour  took  place.  Wallis  witnessed  the 
same  kind  of  conduct.  This,  therefore,  and  the  tears 
are  probably  considered  a  sort  of  expiation  or  doing 
penance  for  a  fault. 

C 


30  OTAHEITE. 

But  the  sorrows  of  these  simple  and  artless  people 
are  transient.  Cook  justly  observes,  that  what  they 
feel  they  have  never  been  taught  either  to  disguis'e 
or  suppress  ;  and  having- no  habits  of  thinking,  which 
perpetually  recall  the  past  and  anticipate  the  future, 
they  are  affected  by  ail  the  changes  of  the  passing 
hour,  and  reflect  the  colour  of  the  time,  however  fre- 
quently it  may  vary.  They  grieve  for  the  death  of 
a  relation,  and  place  the  body  on  a  stage  erected 
on  piles  and  covered  with  a  roof  of  thatch;  for  they 
never  bury  the  dead,  and  never  approach  one  of  these 
morais  without  great  solemnity ;  but  theirs  is  no  last- 
ing grief. 

An  old  woman  having  died,  Mr.  Banks,  whose  pur- 
suit was  knowledge  of  every  kind,  and  to  gain  it 
made  himself  one  of  the  people,  requested  he  might 
attend  the  ceremony  and  witness  all  the  mysteries 
of  the  solemnity  of  depositing  the  body  in  the  moral. 
The  request  was  complied  with,  but  on  no  other  con 
dition  than  his  taking  a  part  in  it.  This  was  just 
what  he  wished.  In  the  evening  he  repaired  to  the 
house  of  mourning,  where  he  was  received  by  the 
daughter  of  the  deceased  and  several  others,  among 
whom  was  a  boy  about  fourteen  years  old.  One  of 
the  chiefs  of  the  district  was  the  principal  mourner, 
wearing  a  fantastical  dress.  Mr.  Banks  was  stripped 
entirely  of  his  European  clothes,  and  a  small  piece 
of  cloth  was  tied  round  his  middle.  His  face  and 
body  were  then  smeared  with  charcoal  and  water  as 
low  as  the  shoulders  till  they  were  as  black  as  those 
of  a  negro.  The  same  operation  was  performed  on 
the  rest,  among  whom  were  some  women,  who  were 
reduced  to  a  state  as  near  to  nakedness  as  himself. 
The  boy  was  blacked  all  over,  after  which  the  pro- 
cession set  forward,  the  chief  mourner  having  mum- 
bled something  like  a  prayer  over  the  body.  It  is 
the  custom  of  the  Indians  to  fly  from  these  proces- 
sions with  the  utmost  precipitation.  On  the  present 
occasion  several  large  bodies  of  the  natives  were  put 


OTAHEITE.  31 

to  flight,  all  the  houses  were  deserted,  and  not  an  Ota- 
he  itan  was  to  be  seen.  The  body  being  deposited 
on  the  stage,  the  mourners  were  dismissed  to  wash 
themselves  in  the  river,  and  to  resume  their  custom- 
ary dresses  and  their  usual  gayety. 

They  are,  however,  so  jealous  of  any  one  approach- 
ing these  abodes  of  the  dead,  that  one  of  Cook's 
party,  happening  one  day  to  pull  a  flower  from  a  tree 
which  grew  in  one  of  "these  sepulchral  enclosures, 
was  struck  by  a  native  who  saw  it,  and  came  sud- 
denly behind  him.  The  moral  of  Oberea  was  a  pile 
of  stone-work,  raised  pyramidically,  two  hundred  and 
sixty-seven  feet  long,  eighty-seven  feet  wide,  and 
forty-four  feet  high,  terminating  in  a  ridge  like  the 
roof  of  a  house,  and  ascended  by  steps  of  white  coral 
stone  neatly  squared  and  polished,  some  of  them  not 
less  than  three  feet  and  a  half  by  two  feet  and  a  half. 
Such  a  structure,  observes  Cook,  raised  without  the 
assistance  of  iron  tools  or  mortar  to  join  them,  struck 
us  with  astonishment,  as  a  work  of  considerable 
skill  and  incredible  labour. 

On  the  same  principle  of  making  himself  ac- 
quainted with  every  novelty  that  presented  itself, 
Captain  Cook  states  that  "  Mr.  Banks  saw  the  opera- 
tion of  tattooing  performed  upon  the  back  of  a  girl 
about  thirteen  years  old.  The  instrument  used  upon 
this  occasion  had  thirty  teeth,  and  every  stroke,  of 
which  at  least  a  hundred  were  made  in  a  minute, 
drew  an  ichor  or  serum  a  little  tinged  with  blood. 
The  girl  bore  it  with  most  stoical  resolution  for 
about  a  quarter  of  an  hour ;  but  the  pain  of  so  many 
hundred  punctures  as  she  had  received  in  that  time 
then  became  intolerable :  she  first  complained  in 
murmurs,  then  wept,  and  at  last  burst  into  loud 
lamentations,  earnestly  imploring  the  operator  to 
desist.  He  was,  however,  inexorable  ;  and  when  she 
began  to  struggle,  she  was  held  down  by  two  women, 
who  sometimes  soothed  and  sometimes  chid  her, 
and  now  and  then,  when  she  was  most  unruly,  gave 


82  GTAHEITE. 

her  a  smart  blow.  Mr.  Banks  staid  in  the  neigh- 
bouring house  an  hour,  and  the  operation  was  not 
over  when  he  went  away." 

The  sufferings  of  this  young  lady  did  not,  how- 
ever, deter  the  late  president  of  the  Royal  Society 
from  undergoing  the  operation  on  his  own  person. 

The  skill  and  labour  which  the  Otaheitans  bestow 
on  their  large  double  boats  is  not  less  wonderful 
than  their  stone  morals,  from  the  felling  of  the  tree 
and  splitting  it  into  plank,  lo  the  minutest  carved 
ornaments  that  decorate  the  head  and  the  stern. 
The  whole  operation  is  performed  without  the  use 
of  any  metallic  instrument.  "  To  fabricate  one  of 
their  principal  vessels  with  their  tools  is,"  says 
Cook,  "  as  great  a  work  as  to  build  a  British  man 
of  war  with  ours."  The  fighting  boats  are  some- 
times more  than  seventy  feet  long,  but  not  above 
three  broad ;  but  they  are  fastened  in  pairs,  side  by 
side,  at  the  distance  of  about  three  feet ;  the  head 
and  stern  rise  in  a  semicircular  form,  the  latter  to 
the  height  of  seventeen  or  eighteen  feet.  To  build 
these  boats,  and  the  smaller  kinds  of  canoes, — to 
build  their  houses,  and  finish  the  slight  furniture  they 
contain, — to  fell,  cleave,  carve,  and  polish  timber  for 
various  purposes, — and,  in  short,  for  every  conver- 
sion of  wood, — the  tools  they  make  use  of  are  the 
following :  an  adze  of  stone ;  a  chisel  or  gouge  of 
bone,  generally  that  of  a  man's  arm  between  the 
wrist  and  elbow  ;  a  rasp  of  coral ;  and  the  skin  of  a 
stingray,  wiih  coral  sand  as  a  file  or  polisher. 

The  persons  of  the  Otaheitan  men  are  in  general 
tall,  strong,  well-limbed,  and  finely  shaped ;  equal  in 
size  to  the  largest  of  Europeans.  The  women  of 
superior  rank  are  also  above  the  middle  stature  of 
Europeans,  but  the  inferior  class  are  rather  below  it. 
The  complexion  of  the  former  class  is  that  which 
we  call  a  brunette,  and  the  skin  is  most  delicately 
smooth  and  soft.  The  shape  of  the  face  is  comely, 
the  cheek  bones  are  not  hiich*  neither  are  the  eyes 


OTAHEITE.  33 

hollow,  nor  the  brow  prominent ;  the  nose  is  a  little, 
but  not  much,  flattened ;  but  their  eyes,  and  more 
particularly  those  of  the  women,  are  full  of  expres- 
sion, sometimes  sparkling  with  fire,  and  sometimes 
melting  with  softness ;  their  teeth  also  are,  almost 
without  exception,  most  beautifully  even  and  white, 
and  their  breath  perfectly  without  taint.  In  their 
motions  there  is  at  once  vigour  as  well  as  ease ; 
their  walk  is  graceful,  their  deportment  liberal,  and 
their  behaviour  to  'strangers  and  to  each  other  affa- 
ble and  courteous.  In  their  dispositions  they  appear 
to  be  brave,  open,  and  candid,  without  suspicion  or 
treachery,  cruelty  or  revenge.  Mr.  Banks  had  such 
confidence  in  them  as  to  sleep  frequently  in  their 
houses  in  the  woods  without  a  companion,  and  con- 
sequently wholl}^  in  their  power.  They  are  delicate 
and  cleanly,  almost  wholly  without  example. 

"  The  natives  of  Otaheite,"  says  Cook,  "  both  men 
and  women,  constantly  wash  their  whole  bodies  in 
running  water  three  times  every  day ;  once  as  soon 
as  they  rise  in  the  morning,  once  at  noon,  and  again 
before  they  sleep  at  night,  whether  the  sea  or  river 
be  near  them  or  at  a  distance.  They  wash,  not  only 
the  mouth,  but  the  hands  at  their  meals,  almost  be- 
tween every  morsel ;  and  their  clothes,  as  well  as 
their  persons,  are  kept  without  spot  or  stain." 

If  any  one  should  think  this  picture  somewhat 
overcharged,  he  will  find  it  fully  confirmed  in  an 
account  of  them  made  by  gentlemen  of  the  highest 
respectability.  In  the  first  missionary  voyage,  in 
the  year  1797,  the  natives  of  Otaheite  are  thus 
described : 

"Natural  colour  olive,  inclining  to  copper;  the 
women,  who  carefully  clothe  themselves  and  avoid 
the  sunbeams,  are  but  a  shade  or  two  darker  than  a 
European  brunette ;  their  eyes  are  black  and  spar- 
kling ;  their  teeth  white  and  even  ;  their  skin  soft  and 
delicate  ;  their  limbs  finely  turned ;  their  hair  jetty 


34  OTAHEITE. 

perfumed  and  ornamented  with  flowers ;  they  are  in 
general  large  and  wide  over  the  shoulders  ;  we  were 
therefore  disappointed  in  the  judgment  we  had 
formed  from  the  report  of  preceding  visiters ;  and 
though  here  and  there  was  to  be  seen  a  young  per- 
son who  might  be  esteemed  comely,  we  saw  few 
who,  in  fact,  could  be  called  beauties  ;  yet  they  pos- 
sess eminent  feminine  graces  :  their  faces  are  never 
darkened  with  a  scowl,  or  covered  with  a  cloud  of 
suUenness  or  suspicion.  Their  manners  are  affable 
and  engaging;  their  step  easy,  firm,  and  graceful; 
their  behaviour  free  and  unguarded ;  always  bound- 
less in  generosity  to  each  other  and  to  strangers; 
their  tempers  mild,  gentle,  and  unaffected ;  slow  to 
take  offence,  easily  pacified,  and  seldom  retaining 
resentment  or  revenge,  whatever  provocation  they 
may  have  received.  Their  arms  and  hands  are  very 
delicately  formed;  and  though  they  go  barefoot, 
their  feet  are  not  coarse  and  spreading. 

"  As  wives  in  private  life,  they  are  affectionate, 
tender,  and  obedient  to  their  husbands,  and  uncom- 
monly fond  of  their  children :  they  nurse  them  with 
the  utmost  care,  and  are  particularly  attentive  to 
keep  the  infant's  limbs  supple  and  straight.  A  crip- 
ple is  hardly  ever  seen  among  them  in  early  life.  A 
rickety  child  is  never  known ;  any  thing  resembling 
it  would  reflect  the  highest  disgrace  on  the  mother. 

"  The  Otaheitans  have  no  partitions  in  their  houses ; 
but  it  may  be  affirmed  they  have  in  many  instances 
more  refined  ideas  of  decency  than  ourselves ;  and 
one  long  a  resident  scruples  not  to  declare,  that  he 
never  saw  any  appetite,  hunger  and  thirst  excepted, 
gratified  in  public.  It  is  too  true,  that  for  the  sake 
of  gaining  our  extraordinary  curiosities,  and  to  please 
our  brutes,  they  have  appeared  immodest  in  the  ex- 
treme. Yet  they  lay  this  charge  wholly  at  our  door, 
and  say  that  Englishmen  are  ashamed  of  nothing, 
and  that  we  have  led  them  to  public  acts  of  inde- 
cency never  before  practised  among  themselves. 


OTAHEITE.  35 

Iron  here,  more  precious  than  gold,  bears  down  every 
barrier  of  restraint;  honesty  and  modesty  yield  to 
the  force  of  temptation."* 

Such  are  the  females  and  the  mothers  here  de- 
scribed, whose  interesting-  offspring  are  now  peo- 
plnig  P.itcairn's  Island,  and  who,  while  they  inherit 
their  mothers'  virtues,  have  hitherto  kept  themselves 
free  from  their  vices. 

The  greater  part  of  th\3  food  of  Otaheitans  is  vege- 
table. Hogs,  dogs,  and  poultry  are  their  only  ani- 
mals, and  all  of  them  serve  for  food.  "  We  all 
agreed,"  says  Cook,  "  that  a  South  Sea  dog  was  little 
inferior  to  an  English  lamb,"  w-hich  he  ascribes  to 
its  being  kept  up  and  fed  wholly  on  vegetables. 
Broiling  and  baking  are  the  only  two  modes  of  ap- 
plying fire  to  their  cookery.  Captain  Wallis  ob- 
serves, that  having  no  vessel  in  which  water  could 
be  subjected  to  the  action  of  fire,  they  had  no  more 
idea  that  it  could  be  made  hot,  than  that  it  could  be 
made  solid;  and  he  mentions  that  one  of  the  attend- 
ants of  the  supposed  queen,  having  observed  the  sur- 
geon fill  the  teapot  from  an  urn,  turned  the  cock 
himself,  and  received  the  wat'^r  in  his  hand ;  and 
that  as  soon  as  he  felt  himself  scalded,  he  roared  out 
and  began  to  dance  about  the  cabin  with  the  most 
extravagant  and  ridiculous  expressions  of  pain  and 
astonishment ;  his  companions,  unable  to  conceive 
what  was  the  matter,  staring  at  him  in  amaze,  and 
not  without  some  mixture  of  teiTor. 

One  of  Oberea's  peace-offerings  to  Mr.  Banks,  for 
the  robbery  of  his  clothes  committed  in  her  boat, 
was  a  fine  fat  dog,  and  the  way  in  which  it  was  pre- 
pared and  baked  was  as  follows.  Tupei,  the  high- 
priest,  undertook  to  perform  the  double  office  of 
butcher  and  cook.  He  first  killed  him  by  holding 
his  hands  close  over  his  mouth  and  nose  for  the 
space  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour.     A  hole  was  then 

*  A  Missionai  J'  Vo3'age  lo  the  Soutbern  Pacific  Ocean,  Appendix, 
p.  536,  34:'. 


36  OTAHEITE. 

made  in  tlie  ground  about  a  foot  deep,  in  which  a 
fire  was  kindled,  and  some  small  stones  placed  in 
layers,  alternately  with  the  wood,  to  be  heated. 
The  dog  was  then  singed,  scraped  with  a  shell,  and 
the  hair  taken  off  as  clean  as  if  he  had  been  scalded 
in  hot  water.  He  v/as  then  cut  up  with  the  Scime 
instrument,  and  his  entrails  carefully  washed.  When 
the  hole  was  sufficiently  heated,  the  fire  was  taken 
out,  and  some  of  the  stones,  being  placed  at  the  bot- 
tom, were  covered  with  green  leaves.  The  dog, 
with  the  entrails,  was  then  placed  upon  the  leaves, 
and  other  leaves  being  laid  upon  them,  the  whole 
was  covered  with  the  rest  of  the  hot  stones,  and  the 
mouth  of  the  hole  close  stopped  with  mould.  In 
somewhat  less  than  four  hours,  it  was  again  opened, 
and  the  dog  taken  out  excellently  baked,  and  the 
party  all  agreed  that  he  made  a  very  good  dish. 
These  dogs,  it  seems,  are  bred  to  be  eaten,  and  live 
wholly  on  bread-fruit,  cocoanuts,  yams,  and  oth 
vegetables  of  the  like  kind. 

The  food  of  the  natives,  being  chiefly  vegetable, 
consists  of  the  various  preparations  of  the  bread- 
fruit, of  cocoanuts,  bananas,  plantains,  and  a  great 
variety  of  other  fruit,  the  spontaneous  products  of 
a  rich  soil  and  genial  chmate.  The  bread-fruit, 
when  baked  in  the  same  manner  as  the  dog  was,  is 
rendered  soft,  and  not  unlike  a  boiled  potato  ;  not 
quite  so  farinaceous  as  a  good  one,  but  more  so  than 
those  of  the  middling  sort.  Much  of  this  fruit  is 
gathered  before  it  is  ripe,  and  by  a  certain  process 
is  made  to  undergo  the  two  states  of  fermentation, 
the  saccharine  and  acetous,  in  the  latter  of  which 
it  is  moulded  into  balls,  and  called  mahie.  The 
natives  seldom  make  a  meal  without  this  sour  paste. 
Salt  water  is  the  universal  sauce,  without  which  no 
meal  is  eaten.  Their  drink  in  general  consists  of 
water,  or  the  juice  of  the  eocoaniit,  the  art  of  pro- 
ducing liquors  that  intoxicate  by  fermentation  being 
at  this  time  happily  unknown  among  them ;  neithei 


OTAHEITE.  ^  37 

did  they  make  use  of  any  narcotic,  as  the  natives 
of  some  other  comitries  do  opium,  betel-nut,  and 
tobacco.  One  day  the  wife  of  one  of  the  chiefs 
came  running  to  Mr.  Banks,  who  was  always  applied 
to  in  every  emergency  and  distress,  and  with  a  mix- 
ture of  grief  and  terror  in  her  countenance,  made 
him  understand  that  her  husband  was  dying,  in  con- 
sequence of  something  the  strangers  had  given  him 
to  eat.  Mr.  Banks  found  his  friend  leaning  his  head 
against  a  post,  in  an  attitude  of  the  utmost  languor 
and  despondency.  His  attendants  brought  out  a 
leaf  folded  up  with  great  care,  containing  part  of  the 
poison  of  the  effects  of  which  their  master  was  now 
dying.  On  opening  the  leaf  Mr.  Banks  found  in  it 
a  chew  of  tobacco,  which  the  chief  had  asked  from 
some  of  the  seamen,  and  imitating  them,  as  he 
thought,  he  had  roiled  it  about  in  his  mouth,  grind- 
ing it  to  powder  with  his  teeth,  and  ultimately  swal- 
lowing it.  During  Ihe  examination  of  the  leaf  he 
looked  up  at  Mr.  Banks  wilh  the  most  piteous  coun- 
tenance, and  intimated  that  he  had  but  a  very  short 
time  to  live.  A  copious  draught  of  cocoanut  milk, 
however,  set  all  to  riglits,  and  the  chief  and  his  at- 
tendants were  at  once  restored  to  that  flow  of  cheer- 
fulness and  good-humour,  which  is  the  characteristic 
of  these  single-minded  people. 

There  is,  however,  one  plant  from  the  root  of 
which  they  extract  a  juice  of  an  intoxicating  quality, 
called  ava,  but  Cook's  party  saw  nothing  of  its 
effects,  probably  owing  to  their  considering  drunk- 
enness as  a  disgrace.  This  vice  of  drinking  ava  is 
said  to  be  peculiar  almos^  to  the  chiefs,  who  vie 
with  each  other  in  drinkmg  the  greatest  number  of 
draughts,  each  draught  being  about  a  pint.  They 
keep  this  intoxicating  juice  with  great  care  from  the 
women. 

As  eating  is  one  of  the  most  important  concerns 
of  life  here  as  well  as  elsewhere.  Captain  Cook's 
description  of  a  meal  made  bv  one  of  the  chiefs  of 


38  OTAHEITB 

tlie  island  cannot  be  considered  as  uninteresting,  and 
is  here  given  in  his  own  words. 

"  He  sits  down  under  the  shade  of  the  next  tree, 
or  on  the  shady  side  of  his  house,  and  a  large  quan- 
tity of  leaves,  either  of  the  bread-fruit  or  bananas, 
are  neatly  spread  before  him  upon  the  ground  as  a 
tablecloth ;  a  basket  is  then  set  by  him,  that  contains 
his  provision,  which,  if  fish  or  flesh,  is  ready  dressed, 
and  wrapped  up  in  leaves,  and  two  cocoanut  shells, 
one  full  of  salt  water  and  one  of  fresh.  His  attend- 
ants, which  are  not  fev/,  seat  themselves  round  him. 
and  when  all  is  ready,  he  begins  by  washing  his 
hands  and  his  mouth  thoroughly  with  the  freshwater, 
and  this  he  repeats  almost  continually  throughout 
the  whole  meal.  He  then  takes  part  of  his  provi- 
sion out  of  the  basket,  which  generally  consists  of 
a  small  fish  or  two,  two  or  three  bread-fruits,  four- 
teen or  fifteen  ripe  bananas,  or  six  or  seven  apples. 
He  first  takes  half  a  bread-fruit,  peels  oflf  the  rind, 
and  takes  out  the  core  with  his  nails ;  of  this  he 
puts  as  much  into  his  mouth  as  it  can  hold,  and 
while  he  chews  it,  takes  the  fish  out  of  the  leaves 
and  breaks  one  of  them  into  the  salt  w^ater,  placing 
the  other,  and  what  remains  of  the  bread-fruit,  upon 
the  leaves  that  have  been  spread  before  him.  When 
this  is  done,  he  takes  up  a  small  piece  of  the  fish 
that  has  been  broken  into  the  salt  water,  with  all 
the  fingers  of  one  hand,  and  sucks  it  into  his  mouth, 
so  as  to  get  with  it  as  much  of  the  salt  water  as 
possible.  In  the  same  manner  he  takes  the  rest  by 
different  morsels,  and  between  each,  at  least  very 
frequently,  takes  a  small  sup  of  the  salt  Avater, 
either  out  of  the  cocoanut  shell,  or  the  palm  of  his 
hand.  In  the  mean  time  one  of  his  attencants  has 
prepared  a  young  cocoanut,  by  peeling  off  the  outer 
rind  with  his  teeth,  an  operation  which  to  a  Euro- 
pean appears  very  surprising;  but  it  depends  so 
nmch  upon  sleight,  that  many  of  us  were  able  to  do 
it  before  we  left  the  island,  and  some  that  coulf* 


OTAHEITE.  39 

scarcely  crack  a  filbert.  The  master  when  he 
chooses  to  drink  takes  the  cocoanut  thus  prepared, 
and  boring-  a  hole  through  the  sheil  with  his  fingers, 
or  breaking  it  with  a  stone,  he  sucks  out  the  hquor. 
When  he  has  eaten  his  bread-fruit  and  fish,  he  begins 
With  his  plantains,  one  of  which  makes  but  a  mouth- 
ful, though  it  be  as  big  as  a  black-pudding ;  if  in- 
stead of  plantains  he  has  apples,  he  never  tastes 
them  till  they  have  been  pared  ;  to  do  this  a  shell  is 
picked  up  from  the  ground,  where  they  are  always 
in  plenty,  and  tossed  to  him  by  an  attendant.  He 
immediatoly  begins  to  cut  or  scrape  off  the  rind, 
but  so  awkwardly  that  great  part  of  the  fruit  is 
wasted.  If,  instead  of  fish,  he  has  flesh,  he  must 
have  some  succedaneum  for  a  knife  to  divide  it;  and 
for  this  purpose  a  piece  of  bamboo  is  tossed  to  him, 
of  which  he  makes  the  necessary  implement  by 
splitting  it  transversely  Avith  his  nail.  While  all 
this  has  been  doing,  some  of  his  attendants  have 
been  employed  in  beating  bread-fruit  with  a  stone 
pestle  upon  a  block  of  wood ;  by  being  beaten  in 
this  manner,  and  sprinkled  from  time  to  time  with 
water,  it  is  reduced  to  the  consistence  of  a  soft 
paste,  and  is  then  put  into  a  vessel  somewhat  like  a 
butcher's  tray,  and  either  made  up  alone,  or  mixed 
with  banana  or  mahie,  according  to  the  taste  of  the 
master,  by  pouring  water  upon  it  by  degrees  and 
squeezing  it  often  through  the  hand.  Under  this 
operation  it  acquires  the  consistence  of  a  thick  cus- 
tard, and  a  large  cocoanut  shell  full  of  it  oeing  set 
before  him,  he  sips  it  as  we  should  do  a  jelly  if  we 
had  no  spoon  to  take  it  from  the  glass.  The  meal 
is  then  finished  by  again  washing  his  hands  and 
his  mouth.  After  which  the  cocoanut  shells  are 
cleaned,  and  every  thing  that  is  left  is  replaced  in  the 
basket." 

Captain  Cook  adds,  "  the  quantity  of  food  which 
these  people  eat  at  a  meal  is  prodigious.  I  have 
seen  one  man  devour  t\vo  or  three  fishes  as  big  as 


40  OTAHEITE. 

a  perch;  three  bread-fruits,  each  bigger  than  two 
fists  ;  fourteen  or  fifteen  plantains  or  bananas,  each 
of  them  six  or  seven  inches  long,  and  four  or  five 
round  ;  and  near  a  quart  of  the  pounded  bread-fruit, 
wliich  is  as  substantial  as  the  thickest  unbaked  cus- 
tard. This  is  so  extraordinary  that  I  scarcely  expect 
to  be  believed ;  and  I  w^ould  not  have  related  it  upon 
my  own  single  testimony,  but  Mr.  Banks,  Dr.  So- 
lander,  and  most  of  the  other  gentlemen  have  had 
ocular  demonstration  of  its  truth,  and  know^  that  I 
mention  them  on  the  occasion." 

The  women,  who,  on  other  occasions,  always  mix 
in  the  amusements  of  the  men,  who  are  particularly 
fond  of  their  society,  are  wholly  excluded  from  their 
meals ;  nor  could  the  latter  be  prevailed  on  to  partake 
of  any  thing  when  dining  in  company  on  board  ship ; 
they  said  it  was  not  right ;  even  brothers  and  sisters 
have  each  their  sepaiate  baskets,  and  their  provi- 
sions are  separately  prepared ;  but  the  Enghsh  oflfi- 
cers  and  men,  when  visiting  the  young  ones  at  their 
own  houses,  frequently  ate  out  of  the  same  basket 
and  drank  out  of  the  same  cup,  to  the  horror  and 
dismay  of  the  older  ladies,  who  were  always  offended 
at  this  liberty  ;  and  if  by  chance  any  of  the  victuals 
were  touched,  or  even  the  basket  that  contained  them, 
they  would  throw  them  away. 

In  this  fine  climate  houses  are  almost  unneces- 
sary. The  minimum  range  ^f  the  thermometer  is 
about  63°,  the  maximum  85°,  giving  an  average  of 
74°.  Their  sheds  or  houses  consist  generally  of  a 
thatched  roof  raised  on  posts,  the  eaves  reaching  to 
within  three  or  four  feet  of  the  ground ;  the  floor  is 
•covered  with  soft  hay,  over  which  are  laid  mats,  so 
that  the  whole  is  one  cushion,  on  which  they  sit  by 
day  and  sleep  by  night.  They  eat  in  the  open  air, 
under  the  shade  of  the  nearest  tree.  In  each  dis- 
trict there  is  a  house  erected  for  general  use,  much 
larger  than  common,  some  of  them  exceeding  two 
hundred  feet  in  length,  thirty  broad,  and  twenty  high. 


OTAHEITE.  4 1 

The  dwelling-houses  all  stand  in  the  woody  bel 
which  surrounds  the  island,  between  the  feet  of  th  •. 
central  mountains  and  the  sea,  each  having-  a  very 
small  piece  of  ground  cleared,  just  enough  to  keen 
the  dropping  of  the  trees  from  the  thatch.  An  Ot;;- 
heitan  wood  consists  chiefly  of  groves  of  bread- 
fruit and  cocoanuts,  without  underwood,  and  inter- 
sected in  all  directions  by  the  paths  that  lead  from 
one  house  to  another.  "  Nothing,"  says  Cook, 
"  can  be  more  grateful  than  this  shade,  in  so  warm 
a  climate,  nor  any  thing  more  beautiful  than  these 
walks." 

With  all  the  activity  they  are  capable  of  display- 
ing, and  the  sprightliness  of  their  disposition,  they 
are  fond  of  indulging  in  ease  and  indolence.  The 
trees  that  produce  their  food  are  mostly  of  sponta- 
neous growth, — the  bread-fruit,  cocoanut,  bananas 
of  thirteen  sorts,  besides  plantains, — a  fruit  not  un- 
like an  apple,  which,  when  ripe,  is  very  pleasant ; 
sweet  potatoes,  yams,  and  a  species  of  arum ;  the 
pandanus,  the  jambu,  and  the  sugar-cane ;  a  variety 
of  plants  whose  roots  are  esculent — these,  with 
many  others,  are  produced  with  so  little  culture, 
that,  as  Cook  observes,  they  seem  to  be  exempted 
from  the  first  general  curse  that  "  man  should  eat 
his  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his  brow."  Then  for 
clothing  they  have  the  bark  of  three  different  trees, 
the  paper  mulberry,  the  bread-fruit  tree,  and  a  tree 
which  resembles  the  wild  fig-tree  of  the  West 
Indies ;  of  these  the  mulberry  only  requires  to  be 
cultivated. 

In  preparing  the  cloth  they  display  a  very  consid- 
erable degree  of  ingenuity.  Red  and  yellow  are 
the  two  colours  most  in  use  for  dying  their  cloth ; 
the  red  is  stated  to  be  exceedingly  brilhant  and 
beautiful,  approaching  nearest  to  our  full  scarlet ;  it 
is  produced  by  the  mixture  of  the  juices  of  two 
vegetables,  neither  of  which  separately  has  the  least 
tend  ^ncy  to  that  hue  :  one  ^   ^he  cordia  sebestina,  the 


42  OTAHEITE. 

other  a  species  of  Jicus;  of  the  formef  the  leaves, 
of  the  latter  the  fruits  yield  the  juices.  The  yellow 
die  is  extracted  from  the  bark  of  the  root  of  the 
morinda  citrifoUa,  by  scraping  and  infusing  it  in 
water. 

Their  matting  is  exceedingly  beautiful,  particularly 
that  which  is  made  from  the  bark  of  the  hibiscus 
tiliaceus,  and  of  a  species  of  pandamis.  Others  ai-e 
made  of  rushes  and  grass  with  amazing  facility  and 
despatch.  In  the  same  manner  their  basket  and 
wicker  work  are  most  ingeniously  made  ;  the 
former  in  patterns  of  a  thousand  different  kinds. 
Their  nets  and  fishing-lines  are  strong  and  neatly 
made,  so  are  their  fish-hooks  of  pearl-shell ;  and 
their  clubs  are  admirable  specimens  of  wood- 
carving. 

A  people  so  lively,  sprightly,  and  good-humoured 
as  the  Otaheitans  are,  must  necessarily  have  their 
amusements.  They  are  fond  of  music,  such  as  is 
derived  from  a  rude  flute  and  a  drum  ;  of  dancing, 
wrestling,  shooting  with  the  bow,  and  throwing  the 
lance.  They  exhibit  frequent  trials  of  skill  and 
strength  in  wrestling ;  and  Cook  says  it  is  scarcely 
possible  for  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  ath- 
letic sports  of  very  remote  antiquity,  not  to  remark 
a  rude  resemblance  of  them  in  a  wrestling-match 
(which  he  describes)  among  the  natives  of  a  little 
island  in  tlie  midst  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

But  these  simple-minded  people  have  their  vices, 
and  great  ones  too.  Chastity  is  almost  unknown 
among  a  certain  description  of  women :  there  is  a 
detestable  society  called  Arreoy^  composed,  it  would 
seem,  of  a  particular  class,  who  are  supposed  to  be 
the  chief  warriors  of  the  island.  In  tliis  society 
the  men  and  women  live  in  common ;  and  on  the 
birth  of  a  child  it  is  immediately  smothered,  that  its 
bringing  up  may  not  interfere  with  the  brutal  plea- 
sures of  either  father  or  mother.  Another  savage 
practice  is  that  of  immolating  human  beings  at  the 


••  v^> 


tnf^^'^  /// , .  .^/^/7//  ^^'j^///  /^^laAa/^- 


OTATIEITE.  43 

morals,  which  serve  as  temples  as  well  as  sepulchres. 
"  With  regard  to  their  worship,"  Captain  Cook  does 
the  Otaheitans  but  justice  in  saying-,  "  they  reproach 
many  who  bear  the  name  of  Christians.  You  see 
no  instances  of  an  Otaheitan  drawing  near  the  Eatooa 
with  carelessness  and  inattention.  He  is  all  devo- 
tion; he  approaches  the  place  of  worship  with  reve- 
rential awe ;  uncovers  when  he  treads  on  sacred 
ground;  and  prays  with  a  fervour  that  would  do 
honour  to  a  better  profession.  He  firmly  credits 
the  traditions  of  his  ancestors.  None  dares  dispute 
the  existence  of  the  Deity."  Thieving  may  also  be 
reckoned  as  one  of  their  vices;  this,  however,  is 
common  to  all  uncivilized  nations,  and,  it  may  be 
added,  civilized  too.  But  to  judge  them  fairly  in 
this  respect,  we  should  compare  their  situation  \vith 
that  of  a  more  civilized  people.  A  native  of  Ota- 
heite  goes  on  board  a  ship,  and  finds  himself  in  the 
midst  of  iron  bolts,  nails,  knives,  scattered  about,  and 
is  tempted  to  carry  off  a  few  of  them.  If  we  could 
suppose  a  ship  from  El  Dorado  to  arrive  in  the 
Thames,  and  that  the  custom-house  officers,  on 
boarding  her,  found  themselves  in  the  midst  of  bolts, 
hatchets,  chisels,  all  of  solid  gold,  scattered  about 
the  deck,  one  need  scarcely  say  what  would  be  likeiy 
to  happen.  If  the  former  found  the  temptation  irre- 
sistible to  supply  himself  with  what  was  essentially 
useful,  the  latter  would  be  as  little  able  to  resist  that 
which  would  contribute  to  the  indulgence  of  his  ava- 
rice, or  the  gratification  of  his  pleasures,  or  of  both. 
Cook  appears  not  to  have  exercised  his  usua' judg- 
ment in  estimating  the  population  of  this  island. 
After  stating  the  number  of  war-canoes  at  seventeen 
hundred  and  twenty,  and  able  men  to  man  them  at 
sixty-eight  thousand  eight  hundred,  he  comes  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  population  must  consist  of  two 
hundred  and  four  thousand  souls ;  and,  reflecting  on 
the  vast  swarms  which  everywhere  appeared,  "I 
was  convinced,"  he  says,  "  that  this  estimate  was 


44  OtAHEITE. 

not  much,  if  at  all,  too  great."  By  a  survey  of  the 
first  missionaries,  and  a  ceasus  of  the  inhabitants 
taken  in  1797,  the  population  was  estimated  at  six- 
teen thousand  and  iifty  souls.  Captain  Waldegrave, 
in  1830,  states  it  to  be  nuich  less. 

The  island  of  Otaheite  is  in  shape  two  circles 
united  by  a  low  and  narrow  isthmus.  The  larger 
circle  is  named  Otaheite  Mooe,  and  is  about  thirty 
miles  in  diameter;  the  lesser,  named  Tiaraboo,  about 
ten  miles  in  diameter.  A.  belt  of  low  laud,  termi- 
nating in  numerous  valleys,  ascending  by  gentle 
slopes  to  the  central  mountain,  which  is  about  seven 
thousand  feet  high,  surrounds  the  larger  circle,  and 
the  same  is  the  case  with  the  smaller  circle  on  a  pro- 
portionate scale.  Down  these  valleys  flow  streams 
and  rivulets  of  clear  water,  and  the  most  luxuriant 
and  verdant  foliage  fills  their  sides  and  the  hilly 
ridges  that  separate  them,  among  which  are  scat- 
tered the  smiling  cottages  and  little  plantations  of 
the  natives. 

[The  following  remarks,  by  Mr.  C.  S.  Stewart,  in 
relation  to  these  islanders,  are  worthy  of  the  en- 
lightened mind  of  the  author,  and  forcibly  contras' 
the  former  with  the  present  state  of  the  people  : — 

"  If  the  aspect  of  the  people  in  general,  and  Uie 
animated  declaration  and  lively  sensibihty,  even  to 
tears  seemingly  of  deep  feeling,  of  those  who  have  a 
full  remembrance,  and  who  largely  share  in  their 
own  experience  of  the  evils  of  heathenism,  are  to  be 
accredited,  the  islanders  themselves  are  far  from 
bemg  insensible  to  the  benefit  and  blessing  of  the 
change  they  naie  experienced;  and  would  not  for 
worlds  be  deprived  of  the  light  and  mercy  they  have 
received,  or  again  he  subjected  to  the  mental  and 
moral  darkness  and  various  degradation  from  which 
they  have  escaped. 

"  Yet  there  are  those  who  have  visited  the  South 
Seas — men  bearing  the  Christian  name,  with  a  repu- 
tation for  science,  and  holding  stations  of  honour — 


THE    BREAD-FRUIT.  "45 

who  have  affected  to  discover  a  greater  de^ee  of 
depravity  and  more  wretchedness  at  Tahiti  and  Rai- 
aten  than  was  known  in  tlie  reign  and  terror  of  idol- 
atrv:  and  have  ventured  to  proclaim  to  the  woild. 
that  Christianity  has  here,  for  the  first  time  in  eigh 
teen  nandred  years,  had  the  effect  of  rendering  the 
inhabitants  vindictive  and  hatefid,  indolent  and  cor- 
rupt, superstitious  and  unhappy,  and  more  pitiable  in 
all  their  circumstances  than  when  fully  in  a  pagan 
state  :  and  that  the  wars  introduced  and  encouraged 
by  the  messengers  of  peace  have  nearly  exterminated 
the  race ! 

"  Whence  the  data  for  such  a  sentiment  could  have 
been  drawn  must  for  ever  remain  a  mystery,  at  least 
to  all  who,  like  ourselves,  have  had  the  advantage  of 
a  personal  observation  in  the  case."] 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

• "  The  happy  shores  without  a  law. 

****** 

Where  all  partake  the  earth  without  dispute, 

And  bread  itself  is  gather'd  as  a  fruit ; 

Where  none  contest  the  fields,  the  woods,  the  streams, 

The  (loldless  age,  where  gold  disturbs  no  dreams, 

Inhabits  or  inhabited  the  shore, 

Till  Europe  taught  them  better  than  before."— Byron. 

In  the  year  1787,  being  seventeen  years  after 
Cook's  return  from  his  first  voyage,  the  merchants 
and  planters  resident  in  London,  and  interested  in 
the  West  India  possessions,  having  represented  to 
his  majesty  that  the  introduction  of  the  bread-fruit 
tree  into  the  islands  of  those  seas,  to  constitute  an 
article  of  food,  would  be  of  very  essential  benefit  td 
D 


46  THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

the  inhabitants,  the  king  was  graciously  pleased  to 
comply  with  their  request :  and  a  vessel  was  ac- 
cordingly purchased,  and  fitted  at  Deptford  with  the 
necessary  fixtures  and  preparations  for  carrying 
into  effect  the  benevolent  object  of  the  voyage.  The 
arrangements  for  disposing  the  plants  were  under- 
taken, and  completed  in  a  most  ingenious  and  eftec- 
tive  manner,  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  who  superintended 
the  whole  equipment  of  the  ship  with  the  greatest 
attention  and  assiduity  till  she  was  in  all  respects 
ready  for  sea.  He  named  the  ship  the  Bounty,  and 
recommended  Lieutenant  Bligh,  who  had  been  with 
Captain  Cook,  to  command  her.  Her  burden  was 
about  two  hundred  and  fifteen  tons;  and  her  estab- 
lishment consisted  of  one  lieutenant,  who  was  com- 
manding officer,  one  master,  three  warrant  officers, 
one  surgeon,  two  master's  mates,  two  midshipmen, 
and  thirty-four  petty  office]  s  and  seamen,  making  in 
all  forty-four ;  to  which  were  added  two  skilful  and 
careful'  men,  recommended  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  to 
have  the  management  of  the  phnits  intended  to  be 
carried  to  the  West  Indies,  and  others  to  be  brought 
home  for  his  majesty's  garden  at  Kew  :  one  was 
David  Nelson,  who  had  served  in  a  similar  situation 
in  Capain  Cook's  last  voyage;  the  other  WiUiam 
Brown,  as  an  assistant  to  him. 

The  object  of  all  the  former  voyages  to  the 
South  Seas  undertaken  by  command  of  his  majesty 
George  HI.,  was  the  increase  of  knowledge  by  new^ 
discoveries,  and  the  advancement  of  science,  more 
particularly  of  natural  history  and  geography  :  the 
intention  of  the  present  voyage  was  to  derive  some 
practical  benefit  from  the  distant  discoveries  that  had 
already  been  made  ;  and  no  object  was  deemed  more 
likely  to  realize  the  expectation  of  benefit  than  the 
bread-fruit,  which  afforded  to  the  natives  of  Olaheite 
BO  very  considerable  a  portion  of  their  food,  and 
which  it  was  hoped  it  might  also  do  for  the  black 


THE    BREAD-FR15  fT.  47 

population  of  the  West  India  islands  The  bread- 
fruit plant  was  no  new  discovery  of  either  Wallis  or 
Cook.  So  early  as  the  year  1G88,  that  excellent  old 
navigator  Dampier  thus  describes  it : — "  The  bread- 
fruit, as  we  call  it,  grows  on  a  large  tree,  as  big  and 
high  as  our  largest  apple-trees ;  it  hath  a  spread- 
ing head,  full  of  branches  and  dark  leaves.  The 
fruit  grows  on  the  boughs  like  apples  ;  it  is  as  big  as 
a  penny  loaf,  when  wheat  is  at  five  shillings  the 
bushel ;  it  is  of  a  round  shape,  and  hath  a  thick 
tough  rind ;  when  the  fruit  is  ripe  it  is  yellow  and 
soft,  and  the  taste  is  sweet  and  pleasant.  The 
natives  of  Guam  use  it  for  bread.  They  gather  it, 
when  full  grown,  while  it  is  green  and  hard ;  then 
they  bake  it  in  an  oven,  which  scorcheth  the  rind  and 
makes  it  black,  but  they  scrape  off  the  outside  black 
crust,  and  there  remains  a  tender  thin  crust ;  and  the 
inside  is  soft,  tender,  and  white,  like  the  crumb  of  a 
penny-loaf.  There  is  neither  seed  nor  stone  in  the 
inside,  but  all  is  of  a  pure  substance  like  bread.  It 
wiust  be  eaten  new ;  for  if  it  is  kept  above  twenty- 
four  hours,  it  grows  harsh  and  choaky ;  but  it  is  very 
pleasant  before  it  is  too  stale.  This  fruit  lasts  in 
season  eight  months  in  the  year,  during  which  the 
natives  sat  no  other  sort  of  food  of  bread  kind.  I 
did  never  see  of  this  fruit  anywhere  but  here.  The 
natives  told  us  that  there  is  plenty  of  this  fruit  grow- 
ing on  the  rest  of  the  Ladrone  "ishrnds ;  and  I  did 
never  hear  of  it  anywhere  else." 

Lord  Anson  corroborates  this  account  of  the 
bread-fruit,  and  says  that  while  at  Tinian  it  was 
constantly  eaten  by  his  officers  and  ship's  company 
during  their  two  months'  stay,  instead  of  bread  ;  and 
so  universally  preferred,  that  no  ship's  bread  was 
expended  in  that  whole  interval.  The  only  essential 
difference  between  Dampier's  and  Cook's  descrip- 
tion is,  where  the  latter  says,  which  is  true,  that  this 
fruit  has  a  core^  and  that  the  eatable  part  lies  be- 
tween the  skin  and  the  core.     Cook  says  also  that 


48  THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

its  taste  is  insipid,  with  a  slight  sweetness,  some  • 
what  resembling  that  of  the  crumb  of  whealen  bread 
mixed  with  a  Jerusalem  artichoke.  From  such  a 
description,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  West  India 
planters  should  have  felt  desirous  of  introducing  it 
into  those  islands  ;  and  accordingly  the  introduction 
of  it  was  subsequently  accomplished,  notwithstand- 
ing the  failure  of  the  present  voyage;  it  has  not, 
however,  been  fomid  to  answer  the  expectation  that 
had  reasonably  been  entertained.  The  climate,  as 
to  latitude,  ought  to  be  the  same,  or  nearly  so,  as 
that  of  Otaheite,  but  there  would  appear  to  be  some 
difference  in  the  situation  or  nature  of  the  soil,  that 
prevents  it  from  thriving  in  the  West  India  islands. 
At  Otaheite,  and  on  several  of  the  Pacific  islands, 

"  The  bread-tree,  which,  without  the  ploughshare,  yields 
The  unr.  ap'd  harvest  of  unfurrow'd  fields, 
And  bakes  its  unadultertited  loaves 
Without  a  furnace  in  unpurchased  groves, 
And  flings  off  fannine  from  its  fertile  breast, 
A  priceless  market  for  the  gathering  guest—" 

IS,  to  the  natives  of  those  islands  a  most  invaluable 
gift,  but  it  has  not  been  found  to  yield  similar  bene- 
fits to  the  West  India  islands. 

On  the  23d  December,  1787,  the  Bounty  sailed 
from  Spithead,  and  on  the  26th  it  blew  a"  severe 
storm  of  wind  from  the  eastward,  v/hich  continued 
to  the  29th,  in  the  course  of  which  the  ship  suffered 
greatly.  One  sea  broke  away  the  spare  yards  and 
spars  out  of  the  starboard  main-chains.  Another 
heavy  sea  broke  into  the  ship  and  stove  all  the  boats, 
s^-jveral  casks  of  beer  that  had  been  lashed  upon 
u^jk  were  broke  loose  and  washed  overboard;  and 
it  was  not  without  great  difhciilty  and  risk  that  they 
were  able  to  secure  the  boats  from  being  washed 
away  entirely.  Besides  other  mischief  done  to  them 
in  this  storm,  a  large  quantity  of  bread  was  dam 
aged  and  rendered  useless,  for  the  sea  had  stove  in 
the  stern  and  filled  the  cabin  Avitli  water. 


THE    BKEAD-FRUIT.  49 

This  made  it  desirable  to  touch  at  Teneriffe  to  put 
the  ship  to  rights,  where  they  arrived  on  the  5th 
January,  1788,  and  having  refitted  and  refreshed, 
they  sailed  again  on  the  10th. 

"I now,"  says Bligh, "  divided  the  people  into  three 
watches,  and  gave  the  charge  of  the  third  watch  to 
Mr.  Fletcher  Christian,  one  of  the  mates.  I  have 
always  considered  this  a  desirable  regulation  wheij' 
circumstances  will  admit  of  it,  and  I  am  persuaded 
that  unbroken  rest  not  only  contributes  much  to- 
wards the  health  of  the  ship's  company,  but  enables 
theni  more  readily  to  exert  themselves  in  cases  of 
sudden  emergency." 

Wishing  to  proceed  to  Otaheite  without  stopping, 
and  the  late  storm  having  diminished  their  supply 
of  provisions,  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  put  ail 
hands  on  an  allovvance  of  two-thirds  of  bread.  It  was 
also  decided  that  water  for  drinking  should  be  passed 
through  filtermg-stones  that  had  been  procured  at 
Teneriffe.  "  I  now,"  says  Bligh,  "  made  the  ship's 
company  acquainted  with  the  object  of  the  voyage, 
and  gave  assurances  of  the  certainty  of  promotion  to 
every  one  whose  endeavours  should  merit  it."  No- 
thing, indeed,  seemed  to  be  neglected  on  the  part  of 
the  commander  to  make  his  officers  and  men  com- 
fortable and  happy.  He  was  himself  a  thorough- 
bred sailor,  and  availed  himself  of  every  possible 
means  of  preserving  the  health  of  his  crew.  Con- 
tinued rain  and  a  close  atmosphere  had  covered  every 
thing  in  the  ship  with  mildew.  She  was  therefore 
aired  below  with  fires,  and  frequently  sprinkled  with 
vinegar,  and  every  interval  of  dry  weather  v/as  taken 
advantage  of  to  open  all  the  hatchways,  and  clean 
the  ship,  and  to  have  all  the  people's  wet  things 
washed  and  dried.  With  these  precautions  to  se- 
cure health,  they  passed  the  hazy  and  sultry  atmos- 
phere of  the  low  latitudes  without  a  single  com* 
plamt. 

On  Sunday,  the  2d  March,  Lieutenant  Bligh  ob- 


50  THE  BREAD-TRUIT. 

serves,  "  after  seeing  that  every  person  was  cieaiv, 
divine  service  was  performed,  according  to  my  usual 
custom.  On  this  day  I  gave  to  Mr.  Fletcher  Chris- 
tian, whom  I  had  before  desired  to  take  charge  of 
the  third  watch,  a  written  order  to  act  as  lieutenant." 

Having  reached  as  far  as  the  latitude  of  36^  south, 
on  the  9th  March,  "  the  change  of  temperature,"  he 
observes,  "  began  now  to  be  sensibly  felt,  there  being 
a  variation  in  the  thermometer,  since  yesterday,  of 
eight  degrees.  That  the  people  might  not  sufter  by 
their  own  negligence,  I  gave  orders  for  their  light 
tropical  clothing  to  be  put  by,  and  made  them  dress 
in  a  manner  mure  suited  to  a  cold  climate.  I  had 
provided  for  this  before  I  left  England,  by  givhig  di- 
rections for  such  clothes  to  be  purchased  as  would 
be  found  necessary.  On  this  day,  on  a  complaint  of 
the  master,  I  found  it  necessary  to  punish  Matthew 
Quintal,  one  of  the  seamen,  with  two  dozr'n  lashes, 
for  insolence  and  mutinous  behaviour.  B^^fore  this 
1.  had  not  had  occasion  to  punish  any  person  on 
board." 

The  sight  of  New-year's  Harbour,  in  Staaten 
Land,  almost  tempted  him,  he  says,  to  put  m  ;  but 
the  lateness  of  the  season,  and  tlie  people  being  in 
good  health,  determined  him  to  lay  aside  all  thoughts 
of  refreshment  until  they  should  reach  Otaheite. 
Indeed,  the  extraordinary  care  he  had  taken  to  pre- 
serve the  health  of  the  ship's  company  rendered 
any  delay  in  this  cold  and  inhospitable  region  un- 
necessary. 

They  soon  after  this  had  to  encounter  tremendous 
weather  off  Cape  Horn,  storms  of  wind,  with  haij 
and  sleet,  which  made  it  necessary  to  keep  a  con- 
stant fire  night  and  day;  and  one  of  the  watch 
always  attended  to  dry  the  people's  wet  clotlies. 
This  stormy  weather  continued  for  nine  days;  the 
ship  began  to  complain,  and  required  pumping  every 
hour;  the  decks  became  so  leaky  that  the  com- 
mander was  obliged  to  allot  the  great  cabin  to  those 


THE    BREAD-FRUIT.  51 

u-lio  had  wet  berths,  to  hang  their  hammocks  in. 
F'incUng-  they  were  losing  ground  every  day,  and  tliat 
it  was  hopeless  to  persist  in  attempting  a  passage  by 
this  route,  at  this  season  of  the  year,  to  the  Society 
Islands,  and  after  struggling  for  thirty  days  in  this 
tempestuous  ocean,  it  was  determined  to  bear  away 
for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  helm  was  accord- 
ingly put  a- weather,  to  the  great  joy  of  every  person 
on  board. 

They  arrived  at  the  Cape  on  the  23d  May,  and 
having  remained  there  thirty-eight  days  to  refit  the 
ship,  replenish  provisions,  and  refresh  the  crew,  they 
sailed  again  on  the  1st  July,  and  anchored  in  Adven- 
ture Bay,  in  Van  Dieman's  Land,  on  the  l^Oth  August. 
Here  they  remained  taking  in  wood  and  w-ater  till 
the  4th  September,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  25th 
October  they  saw  Otaheite  ;  and  the  next  day  came 
to  anchor  in  Matavai  Bay,  after  a  distance  which  the 
ship  had  run  over,  by  the  log,  since  leaving  England, 
of  twenty-seven  thousand  and  eighty-six  miles,  being 
on  an  average  one  hundred  and  eight  miles  each 
twenty-four  hours.  Of  their  proceedings  in  Ota- 
heite a  short  abstract  from  Bligh's  Journal  will 
suffice. 

Many  inquiries  were  made  by  the  natives  after 
Captain  Cook,  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  and  others  of  their 
former  friends.  "  One  of  my  first  questions,"  says 
Bligh,  "  was  after  our  friend  Omai ;  and  it  was  a 
sensible  mortification  and  disappointment  for  me  to 
hear,  that  not  only  Omai,  but  both  the  New-Zealand 
boys  who  had  been  left  with  him,  were  dead.  There 
appeared  among  the  natives  in  general  great  good- 
v;ijl  towards  us,  and  they  seemed  to  be  much 
rejoiced  at  our  arrival.  The  whole  day  we  expe- 
rienced no  instance  of  dishonesty ;  and  we  were  so 
much  crowded,  that  I  could  not  undertake  to  remove 
to  a  more  proper  station  without  danger  of  dis- 
obhging  our  visiters,  by  desiring  them  to  leave  the 
ihip." 


62  THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

Otoo,  the  chief  of  the  district,  on  hearing  of  the 
arrival  of  the  Bounty,  sent  a  small  pig  and  a  young 
plantain-tree,  as  a  token  of  friendship.  The  ship 
was  now  plentifully  supplied  with  provisions ;  every 
man  on  board  having  as  much  as  he  could  consume. 

As  soon  as  the  ship  was  secured,  Lieutenant  Bligh 
went  on  shore  with  the  chief,  Poeeno,  passing 
through  a  walk  delightfully  shaded  with  bread-fruit 
trees  to  his  own  house,  where  his  wife  and  her  sister 
were  busily  employed  staining  a  piece  of  cloth  red. 
They  desired  him 'to  sit  down  on  a  mat,  and  with 
great  kindness  offered  him  refreshments.  Several 
strangers  were  now  introduced,  who  came  to  offer 
their  congratulations,  and  behaved  with  great  de- 
corum and  attention.  On  taking  leave,  he  says, 
"  the  ladies,  for  they  deserve  to  be  called  such  from 
their  natural  and  unaffected  manners,  and  elegance 
of  deportment,  got  up,  and  taking  some  of  their 
finest  cloth  and  a  mat,  clothed  me  in  the  Otaheitan 
fashion,  and  then  said,  '  We  will  go  with  you  to 
your  boat ;'  and  each  taking  me  by  the  hand,  amid 
a  great  crowd,  led  me  to  the  water-side,  and  then 
took  their  leave."  In  this  day's  walk,  Bligh  had  the 
satisfaction  to  see  that  the  island  had  received  some 
benefit  from  the  former  visits  of  Captain  Cook. 
Two  shaddocks  were  brought  to  him,  a  fruit  which 
they  had  not  till  Cook  introduced  it ;  and  among  the 
articles  which  they  brought  off  to  the  ship,  and 
offered  for  sale,  v\^ere  capsicums,  pumpkins,  and  two 
young  goats.  "  In  the  course  of  two  or  three  days," 
says  he,  "  an  intimacy  between  the  natives  and  the 
ship's  company  was  become  so  general,  that  there 
was  scarcely  a  man  in  the  ship  who  had  not  already 
his  tayo  or  friend." 

Nelson,  the  gardener,  and  his  assistant,  being  sent 
out  to  look  for  young  plants,  it  was  no  small  degree 
of  pleasure  to  find  them  report,  on  their  return,  that 
according  to  appearances,  the  object  of  the  voyage 
would  probably  be   accomplished  with  ease:  the 


THE    BREAD-FPUIT.  63 

plants  were  plentiful,  and  no  apparent  objection  oij 
tlie  part  of  the  natives  to  collect  as  many  as  might 
be  wanted.  Nelson  had  the  gratification  to  meet 
with  two  fine  shaddock-trees  which  he  had  planted 
in  1777,  and  which  were  now  full  of  fruit,  but  not 
dpe. 

Presents  were  now  given  to  Otoo,  the  chief  of 
Matavai,  who  had  changed  his  name  to  Tinah.  He 
was  told,  that  on  account  of  the  kindness  of  his 
people  to  Captain  Cook,  and  from  a  desire  to  serve 
him  and  his  country,  King  George  had  sent  out  those 
valuable  presents  to  him ;  "  and  will  you  not,  Tinah,'' 
said  Bligh,  "  send  something  to  King  George  in  re- 
turn ?" — "  Yes,"  he  said,  "  I  will  send  him  any  thing 
I  have ;"  and  then  began  to  enumeratie  the  different 
articles  in  his  power,  among  which  he  mentioned  the- 
bread-fruit.  Tiiis  was  the  exact  point  to  which 
Bligh  was  endeavouring  to  lead  him,  and  he  -was  im- 
mediately told  that  the  bread-fruit-trees  w^ere  what 
King  George  would  like  very  much,  on  which  he 
promised  that  a  great  man}^  should  be  put  on  board. 

Hitherto  no  thefts  had  been  committed,  and  Bligh 
was  congratulating  himself  on  the  improvement  of 
the  Otaheitans  in  this  respect,  as  the  same  facilities 
and  the  same  temptations  were  open  to  them  as  be- 
fore. The  ship,  as  on  former  occasions,  was  con- 
stantly crowded  with  visiters.  One  day,  hoAvever, 
the  gudgeon  of  the  rudder  belonging  to  the  large 
culter  was  drawn  out  and  stolen,  without  being  per- 
ceived b}^  the  man  Avho  was  stationed  to  take  care 
of  her;  and  as  this  and  some  other  petty  thefts, 
mustly  owing  to  the  negligence  of  the  men,  were 
conmiencing,  and  would  have  a  tendency  to  interrupt 
the  good  terms  on  which  they  were  with  the  chiefs, 
*'I  thought,"  says  Bligh,  ""'it  would  have  a  good 
effect  to  punish  "the  boatkeeper  in  their  presence, 
and  accordingly  I  ordered  him  a  dozen  lashes.  All 
who  attended  the  punishment  interceded  very  ear- 
nestly to  get  i*  mitigated ;  the  women  showed  great 
E 


64  THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

sympathy,  and  that  degree  of  feeling  which  charac 
tehzes  the  amiable  part  of  their  sex." 

The  longer  they  remained  on  the  island  the  more 
they  had  occasion  to  be  pleased  with  the  conduct  of 
the  islanders,  and  the  less  incommoded,  either  on 
board  or  when  on  shore,  by  the  natives  following 
them  as  at  first.  Into  every  house  they  wished  to 
enter  they  always  experienced  a  kind  reception. 
The  Otaheitans,  we  are  told,  have  the  most  perfect 
easiness  of  manner,  equally  free  from  forwardness 
and  formahty ;  and  that  "  there  is  a  candour  and  sin- 
cerity about  them  that  is  quite  delightful."  When 
they  offer  refreshments,  for  instance,  if  they  are  not 
accepted  they  do  not  think  of  offering  them  a  second 
time ;  for  they  have  not  the  least  idea  of  that  cere- 
monious kind  of  refusal  which  expects  a  second  in- 
vitation. "  Having  one  day,"  says  Bligh,  "  exposed 
myself  too  much  in  the  sun,  I  was  taken  ill,  on  which 
all  the  powerful  people,  both  men  and  women,  col- 
lected round  me,  offering  their  assistance.  For  this 
short  illness  I  was  made  ample  amends  by  the  plea- 
sure 1  received  from  the  attention  and  appearance 
of  affection  in  these  kind  people." 

On  one  occasion  the  Bounty  had  nearly  gone 
ashore  in  a  tremendous  gale  of  wind,  and  on  another 
did  actually  get  aground ;  on  both  which  accidents 
these  kind-hearted  people  came  in  crowds  to  con- 
gratulate the  captain  on  her  escape ;  and  many  of 
them  are  stated  to  have  been  affected  in  the  most 
lively  manner,  shedding  tears,  while  the  danger  in 
which  the  ship  was  placed  continued. 

On  the  9th  December  the  surgeon  of  the  Bounty 
died  from  the  effects  of  intemperance  and  indolence. 
This  unfortunate  man  is  represented  to  have  been  in 
a  constant  state  of  intoxication,  and  was  so  averse 
from  any  kind  of  exercise  that  he  never  could  be 
prevailed  on  to  take  half  a  dozen  hours  upon  deck 
at  a  time  in  the  whole  course  of  the  voyage.  Lieu- 
tenant  Bligh  had  obtained  permission  to  bury  him 


THE    BREAD-TRT^rr.  55 

on  shore ;  and  on  going  with  the  chief  Tinah  to  the 
spot  intended  for  his  burial-place,  "  I  found,"  says 
he.  •'  the  natives  had  already  begun  to  dig  his  grave." 
Tinah  asked'  if  they  were  doing  it  right.  "  There," 
says  he,  "  the  sun  rises,  and  there  it  sets."  Whether 
the  idea  of  making  the  grave  east  and  west  rs  their 
own,  or  whether  they  learned  it  from  the  Spaniards 
who  buried  the  captain  of  their  ship  on  the  island  in 
1774,  there  were  no  means  of  ascertaining;  but  it 
was  certain  they  had  no  intimation  of  that  kind  from 
anybody  belonging  to  the  Bounty.  When  the  fune- 
ral took  place  the  chiefs  and  many  of  the  natives 
attended  the  ceremony,  and  showed  great  attention 
during  the  service.  Many  of  the  principal  natives 
attended  divine  service  on  Sundays,  and  behaved 
with  great  decency.  Some  of  the  women  at  one 
time  betrayed  an  inclination  to  laugh  at  the  general 
responses  ;  but  the  captain  says,  on  looking  at  them 
they  appeared  much  ashamed. 

The  border  of  low  land,  which  is  of  the  breadth 
of  about  three  miles  between  the  seacoast  and  the 
foot  of  the  hills,  consists  of  a  very  delightful  coun- 
try', well  covered  with  bread-fruit  and  cocoa-trees, 
and  strewed  with  houses  in  which  are  swarms  of 
children  playing  about.  "  It  is  delightful,"  Bligh  ob- 
serves,  "  to  see  the  swarms  of  little  children  that 
are  everywhere  to  be  seen  employed  at  their  several 
amusements ;  some  flying  kites,  some  swinging  in 
ropes  suspended  from  the  boughs  of  trees,  others 
walking  on  stilts,  some  wrestling,  and  others  play- 
ing all  manner  of  antic  tricks,  such  as  are  common 
to  boys  in  England.  The  little  girls  have  also  their 
amusements,  consisting  generally  of  heivahs  or 
dances."  On  an  evening,  just  before  sunset,  the 
whole  beach  abreast  the  ship  is  described  as  being 
like  a  parade,  crowded  with  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, who  go  on  with  their  sports  and  amusements 
till  nearly  dark,  when  every  one  peaceably  returns 
to  his  home.     At  such  times,  we  are  told,  from  three 


66  THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

to  four  hundred  people  are  assembled  tog-ether,  and 
all  happily  diverted,  good-humoured,  and  aflectionate 
to  one  another,  without  a  single  quarrel  having  ever 
Happened  to  disturb  the  harmony  that  existed  among 
these  amiable  people.  Both  boys  and  girls  are  said 
to  be  handsome  and  very  sprightly. 

It  did  not  appear  that  much  pains  were  taken  in 
their  plantations,  except  those  of  the  ava  and  the 
cloth-plant ;  many  of  the  latter  are  fenced  with  stone, 
and  surrounded  with  a  ditch.  In  fact,  Nature  has 
done  so  much  for  them  that  they  have  no  great  oc- 
ca.sion  to  use  exertion  in  obtaining  a  sufficient  sup- 
ply of  either  food  or  raiment.  Yet  when  Bligh  com- 
menced taking  up  the  bread-fruit  plants  he  derived 
much  assistance  from  the  natives  in  collecting  and 
pruning  them,  which  they  understood  perfectly  well. 

The  behaviour  of  these  people  on  all  occasions 
was  highly  deserving  of  praise.  One  morning,  at 
the  relief  of  the  watch,  the  small  cutter  was  missing. 
The  ship's  company  were  immediately  mustered, 
when  it  appeared  that  three  men  were  absent. 
The)'-  had  taken  with  them  eight  stand  of  arms  and 
ammunition  ;  but  what  their  plan  Avas,  or  which  way 
they  had  gone,  no  one  on  board  seemed  to  have  the 
least  knowledge.  Information  being  given  of  the 
route  they  had  taken,  the  master  was  despatched  to 
search  for  the  cutter,  and  one  of  the  chiefs  went  with 
him  ;  hut  belore  they  had  got  half-way  they  met  the 
boat  with  five  of  the  natives,  who  were  bringing  her 
back  to  the  ship.  For  this  service  they  were  hand- 
somely rewarded.  The  chiefs  promised  to  use  every 
possible  means  to  detect  and  bring  back  the  de- 
serters, which  in  a  few  days  some  of  the  isl.mders 
had  so  far  accomplished  as  to  seize  and  bind  them, 
but  let  them  loose  again  on  a  promise  that  they 
would  return  to  their  ship,  which  they  did  not  ex- 
actly fulfil,  but  gave  themselves  up  soon  after  on  a 
search  being  made  for  them. 

A.  few  days  after  this  a  much  more  serious  occur* 


THE    BREAD-FRUIT.  67 

rence  happened,  that  was  calculated  to  give  to  the 
commander  great  concern.  The  wind  had  blown 
fresh  in  the  night,  and  at  daylight  it  was  discovered 
that  the  cable  by  which  the  ship  rode  had  been  cut 
near  the  v/ater's  edge  in  such  a  manner  that  only 
one  strand  remained  whole.  While  they  were  se- 
curing the  ship  Tinah  came  on  board ;  and  though 
there  was  no  reason  whatever  to  suppose  otherwise 
than  that  he  was  perfectly  innocent  of  the  transac- 
tion, nevertheless,  says  the  commander,  "  I  spoke  to 
him  in  a  very  peremptory  manner,  and  insisted  upon 
his  discovering  and  bringing  to  me  the  offender.  He 
promised  to  use  his  utmost  endeavours  to  discover 
the  guilty  person.  The  next  morning  he  and  his 
wife  came  to  me,  and  assured  me  that  they  had  made 
the  strictest  inquiries  without  success.  This  was 
not  at  all  satisfactory,  and  I  behaved  towards  them 
with  great  coolness,  at  which  they  were  much  dis- 
tressed ;  and  the  lady  at  length  gave  vent  to  her 
sorrow  by  tears.  I  could  no  longer  keep  up  the  ap- 
pearance of  mistrusting  them,  but  1  earnestly  recom- 
mended to  them,  as  they  valued  the  King  of  Eng- 
land's friendship,  that  they  would  exert  their  utmost 
endeavours  to  find  out  the  offenders,  which  they 
faithfully  promised  to  do." 

Here  Bligh  observes,  it  had.  since  occurred  to  him 
that  this  attempt  to  cut  the  ship  adrift  was  most 
probably  the  act  of  some  of  his  own  people,  whose 
purpose  of  remaining  at  Otaheite  might  have  been 
effectually  answered  without  danger  if  the  ship  had 
been  driven  on  shore.  At  the  time  it  occurred,  he 
says,  he  entertained  not  the  least  thought  of  this 
kind,  nor  did  the  possibihty  of  it  enter  into  his  ideas, 
having  no  suspicion  that  so  general  an  indication  or 
so  strong  an  attachment  to  these  islands  could  pre- 
vail among  his  people,  as  to  induce  them  to  abandon 
every  prospect  of  returning  to  their  native  country. 

This  after-thought  of  Bligh  Vv'ill  appear  in  the  se- 
quel to  be  wholly  gratuitous ;  and  yet  he  might  natu- 


6S  THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

rally  encfii^h  have  concluded  that  so  long  and  unre- 
strained an  intercourse  with  a  people  among  whom 
every  man  had  his  tayo  or  friend,  among  whom  every 
man  was  free  to  indulge  every  wish  of  his  heart, 
where  from  the  moment  he  set  his  foot  on  shore  he 
found  himself  surrounded  by  female  allurements  in 
the  midst  of  ease  and  indolence,  and  living  in  a  state 
of  luxury  without  submitting  to  any  kind  of  labour, 
— such  enticemenfs  to  a  common  sailor  might  natu- 
rally enough  be  supposed  to  create  a  desire  for  a 
longer  residence  in  such  a  country ;  but  this  suppo- 
sition is  not  borne  out  by  subsequent  events.  The 
damage  done  to  the  cable  was,  in  all  probability, 
owing  to  its  chafing  over  the  rocky  bottom. 

The  Bounty  arrived  on  the  26th  October,  1788, 
and.  remained  till  the  4th  April,  1789.  On  the  31st 
March,  the  commander  says,  "  To-day  all  the  plants 
were  on  board,  being  in  seven  hundred  and  seventh- 
four  pots,  thirty-nine  tubs,  and  twenty-four  boxes. 
The  number  of  bread-fruit  plants  were  one  thousand 
and  fifteen;  besides  which  we  had  collected  a  num- 
ber of  other  plants :  the  ame,  which  is  one  of  the 
finest  flavoured  fruits  in  the  world  ;  the  ayyah,  which 
is  a  fruit  not  so  rich,  but  of  a  fine  flavour,  and  very 
refreshing;  the  rattah,  not  much  unlike  a  chestnut, 
which  grows  on  a  large  tree  in  great  quantities; 
they  are  singly,  in  large'pods,  from  one  to  two  inches 
broad,  and'  may  be  eaten  raw,  or  boiled  in  the  same 
manner  as  Windsor  beans,  and  so  dressed  are  equally 
good ;  the  orai-ab,  which  is  a  very  superior  kind  of 
plantain.  All  these  1  was  particularly  lecommended 
to  collect  by  my  worthy  friend  Sir  Joseph  Banks." 

While  these  active  preparations  for  departure  were 
going  on,  the  good  chief  Tinah,  on  bringing  a  pres- 
ent for  King  George,  could  not  refrain  from  shedding 
tears.  During  the  remainder  of  their  stay  there  ap- 
peared among  the  natives  an  evident  degree  of  sor- 
row that  they  were  so  soon  to  leave  them,  wliich 
they  showed  by  a  more  than  usual  degree  of  kind- 


THE    BREAD-FRUIT.  59 

ness  and  attention.  The  above-mentioned  excellent 
chief,  with  his  wife,  brothers,  and  lister,  requested 
permission  to  remain  on  board  for  the  night  pre- 
vious to  the  saiUng  of  the  Bounty.  The  ship  was 
crowded  the  whole  day  with  the  natives,  and  she 
was  loaded  with  presents  of  cocoanuts,  plantains, 
bread-fruits,  hogs,  and  goats.  Contrary  to  what  had 
been  the  usual  practice,  there  was  this  evening  no 
dancing  or  mirth  on  the  beach,  such  as  they  had  long 
been  accustomed  to,  but  all  was  silent. 

At  sunset  the  boat  returned  from  landing  Tinah 
and  his  wife,  and  the  ship  made  sail,  bidding  farewell 
to  Otaheite,  where,  Biigh  observes,  "for  twenty- 
three  weeks  we  had  been  treated  with  the  utmost 
aflfection  and  regard,  and  which  seemed  to  increase  in 
proportion  to  our  stay.  That  we  were  not  insensi- 
ble to  their  kindness  the  events  which  followed 
more  than  sufficiently  prove  ;  for  to  the  friendly  and 
endearing  behaviour  of  these  people  may  be  ascribed 
the  motives  for  that  event  which  effected  the  ruin 
of  an  expedition  that  there  was  every  reason  to 
hope  would  have  been  completed  in  the  most  fortu- 
nate manner." 

The  morning  after  their  departure  they  got  sight 
of  Huaheine;  and  a  double  canoe  soon  coming  along- 
side containing  ten  natives,  amon^  them  was  a  young 
man  who  recollected  Captain  Biigh,  and  called  him 
by  name,  having  known  him  when  here  in  the  year 
1780  with  Captain  Cook  in  the  Resolution.  Several 
other  canoes  arrived  with  hogs,  yams,  and  other 
provisions,  which  they  purchased.  This  person  con- 
firmed the  account  that  had  already  been  received 
of  Omai,  and  said,  that  of  all  the  animals  which  had 
been  left  with  Omai,  the  mare  only  remained  alive ; 
that  the  seeds  and  plants  had  been  all  destroyed  ex- 
cept one  tree,  but  of  what  kind  that  was  he  could 
not  satisfactorily  explain.  A  few  days  after  sailing 
from  this  island  the  weather  became  squally,  and  a 
thick  body  of  black  clouds  collected  in  the  east.     A. 


60  THE    BREAD-rRtriT. 

water-spout  was  in  a  short  time  seen  at  no  crrep*. 
distance  from  the  ship,  which  appeared  to  great  ad- 
vantag-e  from  the  darkness  of  the  clouds  beliind  it. 
The  upper  part  is  described  a's  being  about  two  feet 
in  diameter,  and  the  lower  about  eight  inches.  It 
advanced  rapidly  towards  the  ship,  when  it  was 
deemed  expedient  to  alter  the  course,  and  to  take 
in  all  the  sails  except  the  foresail ;  soon  after 
which  it  passed  within  ten  yards  of  the  stern,  mak- 
hig  a  rusthng  noise,  but  without  their  feeling  the 
least  effect  from  its  being  so  near.  The  rate  at 
which  it  travelled  was  judged  to  be  about  ten  nnles 
per  hour,  going  towards  the  west,  in  the  direction 
of  the  wind  ;  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  pass- 
ing the  ship  it  dispersed.  As  they  passed  several 
low  islands,  the  natives  of  one  of  them  came  ouc  in 
their  canoes,  and  it  was  observed  that  they  all  spoke 
the  language  of  Otaheite.  Presents  of  iron,  beads, 
and  a  looking-glass  were  given  to  them  ;  but  it  was 
observed  that  the  chief,  on  leaving  the  ship,  took 
possession  of  every  thing  that  had  been  distributed. 
One  of  them  showed  some  signs  of  dissatisfaction ; 
but,  after  a  little  altercation,^hey  joined  noses  and 
were  reconciled. 

The  Bounty  anchored  at  Anamooka  on  the  23d 
April;  and  an  old  lame  man  named  Tepa,  whom 
Bligh  had  known  here  in  1777,  and  immediately 
recollected,  came  on  board,  along  with  others  from 
different  islands  in  the  vicinity.  This  man  having 
formerly  been  accustomed  to'  the  English  manner 
of  speaking  their  language,  the  commander  found  he 
could  converse  with  him  tolerably  well.  He  told 
him  that  the  cattle  which  had  been  left  at  Tongata- 
boo  had  all  bred,  and  that  the  old  ones  were  ypt  liv- 
ing.  Being  desirous  of  seeing  the  ship,  he  and  his 
companions  were  taken  below,  and  the  Dread-fruit 
and  other  plants  were  shown  to  them;  on  seenig 
which  they  were  greatly  surprised. 
"  T  landed,"  says  Bligh,  "  in  order  to  procure  soma 


THE    BREAD-FRUIT.  61 

bread-fniit  plants  to  supply  the  place  of  one  that  was 
dead,  and  two  or  three  others  that  were  a  little 
sickly.  I  walked  to  the  west  part  of  the  bay,  where 
some  plants  and  seeds  had  been  sown  by  Captain 
Cook,  and  had  the  satisfaction  to  see,  in  a  plantation 
close  by,  about  twenty  fine  pineapple  plants,  but  no 
fruit,  this  not  being  the  proper  season.  They  told 
me  that  they  had  eaten  many  of  them,  that  they 
\vere  very  fine  and  laige,  and  tliat  at  Tongataboo 
there  were  great  numbers." 

Numerous  were  the  marks  of  mourning  with  which 
these  people  disfigure  themselves,  such  as  bloody 
temples,  their  heads  deprived  of  most  of  the  hair, 
and,  which  was  worse,  almost  all  of  them  with  the 
loss  of  some  of  their  fingers.  Several  fine  boys,  not 
above  six  years  of  age,  had  lost  both  their  little 
fingers :  and  some  of  the  men  had  parted  with  the 
middle  finger  of  the  right  hand. 

A  brisk  trade  soon  began  to  be  carried  on  for 
yams ;  some  plantains  and  bread-fruit  were  likewise 
brouglit  on  board,  but  no  hogs.  Some  of  the  sailing 
canoes,  which  arrived  in  the  course  of  the  day,  were 
large  enough  to  contain  not  less  than  ninety  passen- 
gers. From  these  the  officers  and  crew  purchased 
hogs,  dogs,  fowls,  and  shaddocks ;  yams,  very  fine 
and  large  ;  one  of  them  actually  weighed  above  forty- 
five  pounds.  The  crowd  of  natives  had  become  so 
great  the  next  day,  Sunday  26th,  that  it  became  im- 
possible to  do  any  thing.  The  w^atering  party  were 
therefore  ordered"  to  go  on  board,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined to  sail ;  the  ship  was  accordingly  unmoored 
and  got  under  way.  A  grapnel,  however,  had  been 
stolen,  and  Bligh  informed  the  chiefs  that  were  still 
on  board,  that  unless  it  was  returned  they  must  re- 
main  in  the  ship,  at  which  they  were  surprised  and 
not  a  little  alarmed.  "  1  detained  them,"  he  says, 
"  till  sunset,  when  their  uneasiness  and  impatience 
increased  to  such  a  degree,  that  they  began  to  beat 
themselves  about  the  face  and  eyes,  and  some  of 


62  THE    BREAD-FRUIT. 

them  cried  bitterly.  As  this  distress  was  more  than 
the  .s:rapnel  was  worth,  I  could  not  think  of  detain- 
ing them  longer,  and  called  their  canoes  alongside. 
I  told  them  they  were  at  liberty  to  go,  and  made 
each  of  them  a  present  of  a  hatchet,  a  saw,  with 
some  knives,  gimblets,  and  nails.  This  unexpected 
present,  and  the  sudden  change  in  their  situation, 
affected  them  not  less  with  joy  than  they  had  before 
been  with  apprehension.  They  were  unbounded  in 
their  acknowledgments  ;  and  I  have  little  doubt  but 
that  we  parted  better  friends  than  if  the  affair  had 
never  happened." 

From  this  island  the  ship  stood  to  the  northward 
all  night,  with  light  winds  ;  and  on  the  next  day,  the 
27th,  at  noon,  they  were  between  the  islands  Tofoa 
and  Kotoo. 

"  Thus  far,"  says  Bligh,  "  the  voyage  had  advanced 
in  a  course  of  uninterrupted  prosperity,  and  had  been 
attended  with  many  circumstances  equally  pleasing 
and  satisfactory.  A  very  different  scene  was  now 
to  be  experienced.  A  conspiracy  had  been  formed, 
which  was  to  render  all  our  past  labour  productive 
only  of  extreme  misery  and  distress.  The  means 
had  been  concerted  and  prepared  with  so  much 
secrecy  and  circumspection,  that  no  one  circum- 
stance appeared  to  occasion  the  smallest  suspicion 
of  the  impending  calamity,  the  result  of  an  act  of 
piracy  the  most  consummate  and  atrocious  that  was 
probably  ever  committed." 

How  far  Bligh  was  justified  in  ascribing  the 
calamity  to  a  conspiracy  will  be  seen  hereafter. 
The  following  chapter  will  detail  the  facts  of  the 
mutinous  proceedings  as  stated  by  the  lieutenant, 
in  his  own  words. 


THE   MUTINY.  63 


CHAPTER  IJT. 

THE    MUTINY. 
"ITiat,  Captain  Bligb,  that  is  the  thing ;  1  am  in  hell !— T  am  in  hell !" 

FlKICHEK    CUKISTIAN, 

-"  Horror  and  doubt  distract 
His  troubled  thoughts,  and  from  llie  boitom  stir 
The  hell  within  him  ;  for  within  liim  hell 
He  brings,  and  round  about  him,  nor  from  hell  ' 

One  step  no  more  than  from  himself  can  fly 
By  change  of  place ;  now  conscience  wakes  despair 
That  slumber'd,  wakes  the  bitter  memory 
Of  what  he  was,  what  is,  and  what  must  be 
Worse  ;  of  worse  deeds  worse  sufferings  must  ensue." 

**In  the  morning  of  the  28th  April,  the  north- 
westernmost  of  the  Friendly  Islands,  called  Tofoa, 
bearing  north-east,  1  was  steering  to  the  westward, 
with  a  ship  in  most  perfect  order,  all  my  plants  in  a 
most  flourishing  condition,  all  my  men  and  officers 
in  good  health,  aiid,  in  short,  every  thing  to  flatter 
and  ensure  my  most  sanguine  expectations.  On 
leaving  the  deck  I  gave  directions  for  the  course  to 
be  steered  during  the  night.  The  master  had  the 
first  watch,  the  gunner  the  middle  watch,  and  Mr. 
Christian  the  morning  watch.  This  was  the  turn 
of  duty  for  the  night. 

"  Just  before  sun-rising  on  Tuesday  the  28th,  while 
I  was  yet  asleep,  Mr.  Christian,  officer  of  the  watch; 
Charles  Churchill,  ship's  corporal,  John  Mills,  gun- 
ner's mate,  and  Thomas  Burkitt,  seaman,  came  into 
my  cabin,  and  seizing  me,  tied  my  hands  with  a  cord 
behind  my  back,  threatening  me  with  instant  death 
if  I  spoke  or  made  the  least  noise.  I  called,  how- 
ever, as  loud  as  I  could,  in  hopes  of  assistance  ;  but 
they  had  already  secured  the  officers  who  were  not 
of  their  party,  by  placing  sentinels  at  their  doors. 


64  THE    MUTINY. 

Thore  were  three  men  at  my  cabin-door,  besides  the 
four  within ;  Christian  had  only  a  cutlass  in  his 
hand,  the  others  had  muskets  and  bayonets.  I  was 
hauled  out  of  bed,  and  forced  on  deck  in  my  shirt, 
suffering-  great  pain  from  the  tig-htness  with  which 
they  had  tied  my  hands*  [behind  my  back,  held  by 
Fletcher  Christian,  and  Charles  Churchill,  with  a 
bayonet  at  my  breast,  and  two  men,  Alexander  Smith 
and  Thomas  Burkitt,  behind  me,  with  loaded  mus- 
kets cocked  and  bayonets  fixed.]  I  demanded  the 
reason  of  such  violence,  but  received  no  other  an- 
swer than  abuse  for  not  holding  my  tongue.  The 
master,  the  gunner,  IMr.  Elphinstone  the  master's 
mate,  and  Nelson  were  kept  confined  below ;  and 
the  fore-hatchway  w^as  guarded  by  sentinels.  The 
boatswain  and  carpenter,  and  also  Mr.  Samuel  the 
clerk,  were  allowed  to  come  upon  deck,  where  they 
saw  me  standing,  abaft  the  mizenmast,  with  my 
hands  tied  behind  my  back,  under  a  guard,  with 
Christian  at  their  head.  The  boatswain  was  ordered 
to  hoist  the  launch  out,  with  a  threat,  if  he  did  not 
do  it  instantly,  to  take  care  of  himself. 

"  When  the  boat  was  out,  Mr.  Hay  ward  and  Mr. 
Hallet,  two  of  the  midshipmen,  and  Mr.  Samuel, 
were  ordered  into  it.  I  demanded  v^^hat  their  inten- 
tion was  in  giving  this  order,  and  endeavoured  to 
persuade  the  people  near  me  not  to  persist  in  such 
acts  of  violence ;  but  it  was  to  no  effect — '  Hold 
your  tongue,  sir,  or  you  are  dead  this  instant,'  was 
constantly  repeated  to  me. 

"  The  master  by  this  time  had  sent  to  request  that 
he  might  come  on  deck,  which  was  permitted ;  but 
he  was  soon  ordered  back  again  to  his  cabin. 

"  [When  I  exerted  myself  in  speaking  loud,  to  try 
i[  I  could  rally  any  with  a  sense  of  duty  in  them,  I 

was  saluted  with — '  D — n  his  eyes,  the ,  blow 

his  brains  out ;'  while  Christian  was  threatening  me 
with  instant  death,  if  1  did  not  hold  my  tongue.] 

♦  Th»  words  within  brackets  are  in  the  original  despatch. 


THE    MUTINY.  65 

"  I  continued  my  endeavours  to  turn  the  t^ e  of 
affairs,  when  Christian  changed  the  cutlass  which 
he  had  in  his  hand  for  a  bayonet  that  was  brought 
to  him,  and  holding  me  with  a  strong  gripe  by  the 
cord  that  tied  my  hands,  he  threatened,  with  many 
oaths,  to  kill  me  immediately,  if  1  would  not  be 
quiet ;  the  villams  round  me  had  their  pieces  cocked 
and  bayonets  fixed.  Particular  persons  were  called 
on  to  go  hito  the  boat,  and  were  hurried  over  the 
side ;  whence  I  concluded  that  with  these  people  I 
was  to  be  set  adrift.  I  therefore  made  another  effort 
to  bring  about  a  change,  but  with  no  other  eflfect 
than  to  be  threatened  with  having  my  brains  blown 
out. 

"  The  boatswain  and  seamen  who  were  to  go  in 
the  boat  were  allowed  to  collect  twine,  canvass, 
lines,  sails,  cordage,  an  eight-and-twenty  gallon  cask 
of  water;  and  Mr.  Samuel  got  on%  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  of  bread,  with  a  small  quantity  of  rum  and 
wine,  also  a  quadrant  and  compass  ;  but  he  was  for- 
bidden, on  pain  of  death,  to  touch  either  map,  ephe- 
meris,  book  of  astronomical  observations,  sextant, 
timekeeper,  or  any  of  my  surveys  or  drawings. 

"  The  mutineers  having  forced  those  of  the  sea- 
men whom  they  meant  to  get  rid  of  into  the  boat, 
Christian  directed  a  dram  to  be  served  to  each  of 
his  own  crew.  T  tlien  unhappily  saw  that  nothing 
could  be  done  to  effect  the  recovery  of  the  ship : 
there  was  no  one  to  assist  me,  and  every  endeavour 
on  my  part  was  answered  with  threats  of  death. 

"  The  officers  were  next  called  upon  deck,  and 
forced  over  the  side  into  the  boat,  w-hile  I  was  kept 
apart  from  every  one,  abaft  the  mizenmast;  Chris- 
tian, armed  with  a  bayonet,  holding  me  by  the  ban- 
dage that  secured  my  hands.  The  guard  round  me 
had  their  pieces  cocked,  but  on  my  daring  the  un- 
grateful wretches  to  fire,  they  uncocked  them. 

"  Isaac  Martin,  one  of  the  guard  over  me,  I  saw 
hafl  an  molination  to  assist  me,  and  as  he  fed  me 


66  THE    MUTINY. 

with  shaddock  (my  lips  being-  quite  parched)  we  ex- 
plained our  wishes  to  each  other  by  our  looka;  but 
this  being  observed,  Martin  was  removed  from  me. 
He  then  attempted  to  leave  the  ship,  for  which  pur- 
pose he  g-ot  into  the  boat ;  but  with  many  threats 
they  obUged  him  to  return. 

"  The  armourer,  Joseph  Coleman,  and  two  of  the 
carpenters,  M'Intosh  and  Ncrman,  were  also  kept 
contrary  to  their  inclination;  and  they  begged  of 
nie,  after  I  was  astern  in  the  boat,  to  remember  that 
they  declared  they  had  no  hand  in  the  transaction. 
Michael  Byrne,  I  am  told,  likewise  wanted  to  leave 
the  ship. 

"  It  is  of  no  moment  for  me  to  recount  my  endea- 
vours to  bring  back  the  offenders  to  a  sense  of  their 
duty;  all  I  could  do  was  by  speaking  to  them  in 
general ;  but  it  was  to  no  purpose,  for  I  was  kept 
securely  bound,  and  no  one  except  the  guard  suffered 
to  come  near  me. 

"  To  Mr.  Samuel  (clerk)  I  am  indebted  for  secu- 
ring ray  journals  and  commission,  with  some  mate- 
rial ship  papers.  Without  these  I  had  nothing  to 
certify  what  I  had  done,  and  my  honour  and  char- 
acter might  have  been  suspected,  without  my  pos- 
sessing a  proper  document  to  have  defended  them. 
All  this  he  did  with  great  resolution,  though  guarded 
and  strictly  watched.  He  attempted  to  save  the 
timekeeper,  and  a  box  with  my  surveys,  drawings, 
and  remarks,  for  fifteen  years  past,  which  were 
numerous;  when  he  was  hurried  away  with  'D — n 
your  eyes,  you  are  well  off  to  get  what  you  have.' 

"  It  appeared  to  me  that  Christian  was  some  time 
in  doubt  whether  he  should  keep  the  carpenter  or 
his  mates ;  at  length  he  determined  on  the  latter, 
and  the  carpenter  was  ordered  into  the  boat.  He 
was  permitted,  but  not  without  some  opposition,  to 
take  his  tool-chest. 

"Much  altercation  took  place  among  the  muil- 
nous  crew  during  the  whole  business ;  some  swor« 


THE    MUTINY.  67 

*  I'll  be  d — d  if  he  does  not  find  his  way  home,  if  he 
gets  any  thing  with  him  ;'  and  when  the  carpenter's 
chest  was  carrying-  away,  '  D — n  my  eyes,  he  will 
have  a  vessel  built  in  a  month  ;'  while  others  laughed 
at  the  helpless  situation  of  the  boat,  being  very  deep, 
and  so  little  room  for  those  who  were  in  her.  As 
for  Christian,  he  seemed  as  if  meditating  destruction 
on  himself  and  every  one  else. 

"  I  asked  for  arms,  but  they  laughed  at  me,  and 
said  I  was  well  acquainted  with  the  people  among 
whom  I  was  going,  and  therefore  did  not  want  them  , 
four  cutlasses,  however,  were  thrown  into  the  boat 
after  we  were  veered  astern. 

"The  olhcers  and  men  being  in  the  boat,  they 
only  waited  for  me,  of  which  the  master-at-arms 
informed  Christian ;  who  then  said,  '  Come,  Cap- 
tain Bhgh,  your  officers  and  men  are  now  in  the 
boat,  and  you  must  go  with  them ;  if  you  attempt 
to  make  the  least  resistance,  you  will  instantly  be 
put  to  death  ;'  and  without  further  ceremony,  with 
a  tribe  of  armed  ruffians  about  me,  I  was  forced 
over  the  side,  when  they  untied  my  hands.  Being 
in  the  boat,  we  were  veered  astern  by  a  rope.  A 
few  pieces  of  pork  Avere  thrown  to  us,  and  some 
clothes,  also  the  cutlasses  I  have  already  mentioned  ; 
and  it  was  then  that  the  armourer  and  carpenters 
called  out  to  me  to  remember  that  they  had  no  hand 
in  the  transaction.  After  having  undergone  a  great 
deal  of  ridicule,  and  been  kept  for  some  time  to 
make  sport  for  these  unfeehng  wretches,  we  were 
at  length  cast  adrift  in  the  open  ocean. 

"  T  had  with  me  in  the  boat  the  following  persons: 

Names.  Stations. 

John  Fryer Master. 

Thorr.as  Led  ward Act  in?  Surgeon. 

David  Nelson Botanist. 

William  Peckover Gunner. 

William  Cole Boatswain, 

William  Purcell Carpenter. 

William  F'.plunstone Master's  Mate. 


68  THE    MUTINY. 

Names.  StcUioTts. 

Thomas  1  lay  ward  )   Midshipmen. 

John  Hallet  S  ' 

JotiM  Nonon        )  Quarter-masters. 

Peter  Leiikietter  S 

Lawrence  Lebogue Sallmaker. 


John  Sniiih 


.  Cooka. 


Thomas  Hall  S 

George  Simpson Quarter-master's  MaSe, 

Robert  Tinkler A  Boy, 

Robert  Lamb Butcher. 

Mr.  Samuel Clerk. 

In  all  eighteen. 

There  remained  in  the  Bounty  : — 


Able  Seamen. 


Names.  Stations. 

Fletcher  Christian Master's  Mate. 

Peter  Heywood  ) 

Edward  Young  ^ Midshipmen. 

George  Si  f) wart  j 

Charles  Churchill Master-at-arms. 

John  Mills Gunner's  Mr.te. 

James  Morrison Boatswain's  Mate. 

Thomas  Burkitl 
Matthew  Quintal 
John  Sumner 
John  Mill  ward 
William  M'Koy 
Henry  Hillbrant 
Michael  Byrne 
William  Musprat 
Alex  'nder  Smith 
John  Williams 
Thomas  Ellison 
Isaac  Martin 
Ric  ard  Sknner 
Mat  ew  Thompson  J 

William  Brown Gardener. 

.losep.'i  Colem  m Armourer. 

Charles  Norman Car|ieiiier's  Mate. 

.  Thomas  M'lntosh Carpenter's  Crew. 

In  all  twenty-five— and  the  most  able  of  the  ship's  company. 

"Christian,  the  chief  of  the  mutineers,  is  of  a 
respectable  family  in  the  north  of  Kuglaiid.  This 
was  the  third  voyage  he  had  made  with  me ;  and  as 
I  found  it  necessary  to  keep  my  ship's  company  at 
ihree  watches,  I  had  given  him  an  order  to  take 
charge  of  the  third,  his  abilities  being  thorougUy 


THE    MUTINY.  6D 

equal  to  the  task ;  and  by  this  means  the  master 
eind  gunner  were  not  at  watch  and  watch. 

"  Heywood  is  also  of  a  respectable  family  in  the 
north  of  England,*  and  a  young  man  of  abilities  as 
well  as  Christian.  These  two  had  been  objects  of 
mv  particular  legard  and  attention,  and  I  had  taken 
great  pains  to  mstruct  them,  having  entertained 
hopes  that,  as  professional  men,  they  v^ould  have 
become  a  credit  to  their  country. 

"  Young  was  well  recommended,  and  had  the 
look  of  an  able,  stout  seaman;  he,  however,  fell 
short  of  what  his  appearance  promised.  [In  the 
account  sent  home  he  is  thus  described  :  Edward 
Young,  midshipman,  aged  twenty-two  years.  Dark 
complexion  and  rather  a  bad  look — strong  made — 
has  lost  several  of  his  fore  teeth,  and  those  that 
remain  are  all  rotten.] 

*'  Stewart  was  a  young  man  of  creditable  parents 
in  the  Orkneys ;  at  v/hich  place,  on  the  return  of 
the  Resolution  from  the  South  Seas,  in  1780,  we 
received  so  many  civilities  that,  on  that  account 
only,  I  should  gladly  have  taken  him  with  me ;  but, 
independent  of  this  recommendation,  he  was  a  sea- 
man, and  had  always  borne  a  good  cliaracter. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  roughness  with  which  I 
was  treated,  the  remembrance  of  past  kindnesses 
produced  some  signs  of  remorse  in  Christian.  When 
they  were  forcing  me  out  of  the  ship,  I  asked  him 
if  this  treatment  was  a  proper  return  for  the  many 
instances  he  had  received  of  my  friendship  1  he  ap- 
peared disturbed  at  my  question,  and  answered,  with 
much  emotion,  "  That,  Captain  Bligh,  that  is  the 
thing ; — I  am  in  hell ! — 1  am  in  hell !" 

"As  soon  as  I  had  time  to  reflect,  T  felt  an  in- 
ward satisfaction,  which  prevented  any  depression 
of  mj^  spirits :  conscious  of  my  integrity,  and  anxious 
solicitude  for  the  good  of  the  service  in  which  I  had 

*  He  was  born  in  the  Isle  of  ^lan.his  father  being  deemster  of  Man, 
and  seneschal  to  th"  Duke  of  Athol. 

F 


70  THE    MUTINY. 

been  engaged,  I  found  my  mind  wonderfully  sup- 
ported, and  I  began  to  conceive  hopes,  notwithstand- 
ing so  heavy  a  calamity,  that  I  should  one  day  be 
able  to  account  to  my  king  and  country  for  the  mis- 
fortune. A  few  hours  before  my  situation  had  been 
peculiarly  flattering.  I  had  a  ship  in  the  most  per- 
fect order,  and  well  stored  with  every  necessary 
both  for  Service  and  health ;  by  early  attention  to 
those  particulars  I  had,  as  much  as  lay  in  my  power, 
provided  against  any  accident  in  case  I  could  not 
get  through  Endeavour  Straits,  as  well  as  against 
what  might  befall  me  in  them  ;  add  to  this,  the  plants 
had  been  successfully  preserved  in  the  most  flourish- 
ing state  :  so  that,  upon  the  whole,  the  voyage  was 
two-thirds  completed,  and  the  remaining  part,  to 
all  appearance,  in  a  very  promising  way  ;  every  per- 
son on  boa^rd  being  in  perfect  health,  to  establish 
which  was  ever  among  the  principal  objects  of  my 
attention. 

"  It  will  very  naturally  be  asked,  What  could  be 
the  reason  for  such  a  revolt  1  In  answer  to  which 
I  can  only  conjecture,  that  the  mutineers  had  flat- 
tered themselves  wath  the  hopes  of  a  more  happy 
life  among  the  Otaheitans  than  they  could  possibly 
enjoy  in  JEngland ;  and  this,  joined  to  some  female 
connexions,  most  probably  occasioned  the  whole 
transaction.  The  ship,  indeed,  while  within  our 
sight,  steered  to  the  W.  N.  W. ;  but  I  considered 
this  only  as  a  feint,  for  when  we  were  sent  away, 
*  Huzza  for  Otaheite  !'  was  frequently  heard  among 
the  mutineers. 

"  The  women  of  Otaheite  are  handsome,  mild  and 
cheerful  in  their  manners  and  conversation,  pos- 
sessed of  great  sensibility,  and  have  sufficient  deli- 
cacy to  make  them  admired  and  beloved.  The 
chiefs  were  so  much  attached  to  our  people,  that 
they  rather  encouraged  their  stay  among,  them  than 
otherwise,  and  even  made  them  promises  of  large 
possessions.     Under  these  and  many  other  attend 


THE    MUTINY.  71 

ant  circumstances,  equally  desirable,  it  is  now  per 
haps  not  so  much  to  be  wondered  at,  though  scarcely 
possible  to  have  been  foreseen,  that  a  set  of  sailors, 
most  of  them  void  of  connexions,  should  be  led 
away ;  especially  when,  in  addition  to  such  power- 
ful inducements,  they  imagined  it  in  their  power  to 
fix  themselves  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  on  one  of  the 
finest  islands  in  the  world,  where  they  need  not 
labour,  and  where  the  allurements  of  dissipation  are 
beyond  any  thing  that  can  be  conceived.  The  ut- 
most, however,  that  any  commander  could  have 
supposed  to  have  happened  is,  that  some  of  the  peo- 
ple would  have  been  tempted  to  desert.  But  if  it 
should  be  asserted  that  a  commander  is  to  guard 
against  an  act  of  mutiny  and  piracy  in  his  own  ship, 
more  than  by  the  common  rui^  of  service,  it  is  as 
much  as  to  say  that  he  must  sleep  locked  up,  and 
when  awake  be  girded  with  pistols. 

"  Desertions  have  happened,  more  or  less,  from 
most  of  the  ships  that  have  been  at  the  Society 
Islands  ;  but  it  has  always  been  in  the  commanders' 
power  to  make  the  chiefs  return  their  people ;  the 
knowledge,  therefore,  that  it  was  unsafe  to  desert 
perhaps  first  led  mine  to  consider  with  what  ease  so 
small  a  ship  might  be  surprised,  and  that  so  favour- 
able an  opportunity  would  never  offer  to  them  again. 

"  The  secrecy  of  this  mutiny  is  beyond  aU  con- 
ception. Thirteen  of  the  party,  who  were  with  me, 
had  always  lived  forward  among  the  seamen;  yet 
neither  they  nor  the  messmates  of  Christian,  Stew- 
art, Heywood,  and  Young  had  ever  observed  any 
circumstance  that  made  them  in  the  least  suspect 
what  was  going  on.  To  such  a  close-planned  act 
of  viliauy,  my  mind  being  entirely  free  from  any 
suspicion,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  I  fell  a  sacrifice, 
Perhaps,  if  there  had  been-  marines  on'  board,  a  sen^ 
tinel  at  my  cabiii-door  might  have  prevented  it ;  for 
1  slept  with  the  door  always  open,  that  the  officer 
of  the  watch  might  have  access  to  me  on  all  occa- 


72  THE    MUTINY. 

sions,  the  possinilitj'  of  such  a  conspiracy  being  ever 
the  furthest  from  my  thoughts.  Had  their  mutiny 
been  occasioned  by  any  grievances,  either  veal  or 
imaginary,  I  must  have  discovered  symptoms  of 
their  discontent,  which  would  have  put  me  on  my 
guard:  but  the  case  was  far  otherwise.  Christian, 
in  particular,  I  was  on  the  most  friendly  terms  with : 
that  very  day  he  was  engaged  to  have  dined  with  me  ; 
and  the  preceding  night  he  excused  himself  from 
supping  with  me,  on  pretence  of  being  nnwel! ;  for 
which  I  felt  concerned,  having  no  suspicions  of  his 
integrity  and  honour." 

Such  is  the  story  published  by  Lieutenant  Eligh 
immediately  on  his  return  to  England,  after  one  of 
the  most  distressing  and  perilous  passages  over 
nearly  four  thousand  miles  of  the  wide  ocean,  with 
eighteen  persons,  in  an  open  boat.  The  story  ob- 
tained implicit  credit ;  and  though  Lieutenant  Bligh's 
character  never  stood  high  in  the  navy  for  suavity 
of  manners  or  mildness  of  temper,  he  was  always 
considered  as  an  excellent  seaman,  and  his  veracity 
stood  unimpeached.  But  in  this  age  of  refined  lib- 
erality, when  the  most  atrocious  criminals  find  their 
apologists,  it  is  not  surprising  it  should  now  be  dis- 
covered, when  all  are  dead  that  could  either  prove 
or  disprove  it,  that  it  was  the  tyranny  of  the  com- 
mander alone,  and  not  the  wickedness  of  the  ring- 
leader of  the  mutineers  of  the  Bounty,  that  caused 
that  event.  "  We  all  know,"  it  is  said,  "  that  mutiny 
can  arise  but  from  one  of  these  two  sources,  exces- 
sive folly  or  excessive  tyranny;  therefore"— the  logic 
is  admirable—"  as  it  is  admitted  that  Bligh  was  no 
idiot,  the  inference  is  obvious."*  If  this  be  so,  it 
may  be  asked  to  which  of  the  two  causes  must  be 
ascribed  the  mutiny  at  the  Nore,  &c.  ?  The  true 
answer  will  be,  to  neither.  "  Not  only,"  continues 
the  writer,  "  was  the  narrative  which  he  published 

♦  United  Service  Journal  for  April,  1831. 


THE    MUTINY.  73 

proved  to  be  false  in  many  material  bearings  by  evi- 
dence before  a  court-martial,  but  every  act  of  his 
public  life  after  this  event,  from  his  successive  com- 
mand of  the  Director,  the  Glatton,  and  the  Warrior, 
to  his  disgraceful  expulsion  from  New  South.  Wales, 
was  stamped  with  an  insolence,  an  inhumanity, 
and  coarseness  which  fully  developed  his  c?iaracter." 
There  is  no  intention,  in  narrating  this  eveiitful 
/listory,  to  accuse  or  defend  either  the  character  or 
the  conduct  of  the  late  Admiral  Bligh ;  it  is  well 
Known  his  temper  was  irritable  in  the  extreme;  but 
(he  circumstance  of  his  having  been  the  friend  of 
Captain  Cook,  v/ith  whom  he  sailed  as  his  master, 
■ — of  his  ever  afterward  being  patronised  by  Sir  Jo- 
seph Banks — of  the  Admiralty  promoting  him  to  the 
rank  of  commander,  appointing  him  immediately  to 
the  Providence,  to  proceed  on  the  same  expedition 
to  Otaheite, — and  of  his  returning  in  a  very  short 
time  to  England  with  complete  success,  and  recom- 
mending all  his  officers  forpromotiiDn  on  account  of 
their  exemplary  conduct; — of  his  holding  several 
subsequent  employments  in  the  service, — of  his 
having  commanded  ships  of  the  line'in  the  battles  of 
Copenhagen  and  Camperdown, — and  risen  to  the 
rank  of  a  flag-officer, — these  may  perhaps  be  con- 
sidered to  speak  something  in  his  favour,  and  be 
allowed  to  stand  as  some  proof,  that  with  all  his 
failings  he  had  his  merits.  That  he  was  a  man  of 
coarse  habits,  and  entertained  very  mistaken  notions 
v/ith  regard  to  discipline,  is  quite  true :  yet  he  had 
many  redeeming  qualities.  The  accusation,  by  the 
VvTiter  in  question,  of  Biigh  having  falsified  his  "  nar- 
rative," is  a  very  heavy  charge,  and,  it  is  to  be  feared 
is  not  wholly  without  foundation ;  though  it  would 
perhaps  be  more  correct  to  say,  tljat  in  the  printed 
narrative  of  his  voyage,  and  the  narrative  on  which 
the  mutineers  were  tried,  there  are  many  important 
omissions  from  his  original  manuscript  journal,  some 
of  which  it  will  be  necessary  to  notice  presently. 


74  THE    MUTINY. 

The  same  writer  further  says,  "  We  know  that  the 
officers  fared  in  every  way  worse  than  the  men,  and 
that  even  young  Hey  wood  was  kept  at  the  masthead 
no  less  than  eight  hours  at  one  spell,  in  the  worst 
weather  which  they  encountered  off  Cape  Horn." 

Perhaps  Ileywood  may  himself  be  brought  for- 
ward as  authority,  if  not  to  disprove,  at  least  to  ren- 
der highly  improbable,  his  experiencing  any  such 
treatment  on  the  part  of  his  captam.  This  yoimg 
officer,  in  his  defence,  says,  "  Captain  Bligh  in  his 
narrative  acknowledges  that  he  had  left  some  friends 
on  board  the  Bounty,  and  no  part  of  my  conduct 
could  have  induced  him  to  believe  that  I  ought  not 
to  be  reckoned  of  the  number.  Indeed,  from  his  at- 
tention to,  and  very  kind  treatment  of  me  'personally, 
1  should  have  been  a  monster  of  depravity  to  have 
betrayed  him.  The  idea  alone  is  sufficient  to  dis- 
turb a  mind  where  liumanity  and  gratitude  have,  I 
hope,  ever  been  noticed  as  its  characteristic  fea- 
tures." Bligh,  too,  has  declared  in  a  letter  to  Hey- 
wood's  uncle,  Holwell,  after  accusing  him  of  ingrati- 
tude, that  "he  never  once  had  an  angry  word  from 
me  during  the  whole  course  of  the  voyage,  as  his 
conduct  always  gave  me  much  pleasure  and  satis- 
faction." 

In  looking  over  a  manuscript  journal  kept  by 
Mornson,  the  boatswain's  mate,  who  was  tried  and 
convicted  as  one  of  the  mutineers,  but  received  the 
king's  pardon,  the  condu(;t  of  Bligh  appears  in  a  very 
unfavourable  point  of  view.  Tliis  Morrison  was  a 
person  from  talent  and  education  fiir  above  the  situa- 
tion he  held  in  the  Bounty  ;  he  had  previously  served 
in  the  navy  as  midshipman,  and  after  his  pardon  was 
appointed  gunner  of  the  Blenheim,  in  which  he 
perished  with  Sir  Thomas  Trowbridge.  In  com- 
paring this  journal  with  other  documents,  the  dates 
and  transactions  appear  to  be  correctly  stated,  though 
the  latter  may  occasionally  be  somewhat  too  highly 
coloured.     How  he  contrived  to  ^reserve  this  jour- 


THE    MUTINY.  7.1 

nal  in  the  wreck  of  the  Pandora  does  not  appear ; 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  its  authenticity,  having 
been  kept  among-  the  late  Captain  Heywood's  pa- 
pers; various  passages  in  it  have  been  corrected 
either  by  this  officer  or  some  other  person,  but  with- 
out altering  their  sense. 

It  would  appear  from  this  important  document 
that  the  seeds  of  discord  in  the  unfortunate  ship 
Bounty  were  sown  at  a  very  early  period  of  the 
voyage.  It  happened,  as  was  the  case  in  all  small 
vessels,  that  the  duties  of  commander  and  purser 
were  united  in  the  person  of  Lieutenant  Bligh ;  and 
it  would  seem  that  this  proved  the  cause  of  very  se- 
rious discontent  among  the  officers  and  crew ;  of 
the  mischief  arising  out  of  this  union  the  following 
statement  of  Mr.  Morrison  may  serve  as  a  specimen. 
At  Teneriffe,  Lieutenant  Bligh  ordered  the  cheese  to 
be  hoisted  up  and  exposed  to  the  air ;  which  was  no 
sooner  done  than  he  pretended  to  miss  a  certain 
quantit3%  and  declared  that  it  had  been  stolen.  The 
cooper,  Henry  Hillbrant,  informed  him  that  the  cask 
in  question  had  been  opene^  by  the  orders  of  Mr. 
Samuel,  his  clerk,  who  acted  also  as  steward,  and 
the  cheese  sent  on  shore  to  his  own  house,  previous 
to  the  Bounty  leaving  the  river  on  her  way  to  Ports- 
mouth. Lieutenant  Biigh,without  making  any  further 
inquiry,  immediately  ordered  the  allowance  of  that 
article  to  be  stopped,  both  from  officers  and  wen,  until 
the  deficiency  should  be  made  good,  and  told  the 

cooper  he  should  give  him  a  d d  good  flogging 

if  he  said  another  w^ord  on  the  subject.  It  can 
hardly  be  supposed  that  a  man  of  Bligh's  shrewd- 
ness, if  disposed  to  play  the  rogue,  would  have 
placed  himself  so  completely  in  the  hands  of  the 
cooper,  in  a  transaction  which,  if  revealed,  must 
have  cost  him  his  commission. 

Again,  on  approaching  the  equator,  some  decayed 
pumpkins,  purchased  at  Teneriffe,  were  ordered  to 
be  issued  to  the  crew,  at  the  rate  of  one  pound  of 


76  THE    MUTINY. 

pumpkin  for  two  pounds  of  biscuit.  The  reluctance 
of  the  men  to  accept  this  proposed  substitute  on  such 
terms  being-  reported  to  Lieutenant  Bhgh,  lie  tiew 
upon  deck  in  a  violent  rage,  turned  the  hands  up, 
and  ordered  the  first  man  on  the  list  of  each  mess  to 
be  called  by  name ;  at  the  same  time  saying-,  "  I'll  see 
who  will  dare  to  refuse  the  pumpkin,  or  any  thing- else  I 
may  order  to  be  served  out ;"  to  which  he  added, "  You 

d d  infernal  scoundrels,  I'll  make  you  eat  grass, 

or  any  thing  you  can  catch,  before  I  have  done  with 
you."  This  speech  had  the  desired  efi'ect,  every  one 
receiving  the  pumpkins,  even  the  officers. 

Next  comes  a  complaint  respecting  the  mode  of 
issuing  beef  and  pork ;  but  when  a  representation 
was  made  to  Lieutenant  Bligh  in  the  quiet  and  oi'- 
derly  manner  prescribed  by  the  twenty-first  article 
of  war,  he  called  the  crew  aft,  told  them  that  every 
thing  relative  to  the  provisions  was  transacted  by 
his  orders ;  that  it  v/as  therefore  needless  for  them 
to  complain,  as  they  would  get  no  redress,  he  being 
the  fittest  judge  of  what  was  right  or  wrong,  and  that 
he  would  flog  the  first  man  who  should  dare  attempt 
to  make  any  complaint  in  future.  To  this  imperious 
menace  they  bowed  in  silence,  and  not  another 
murmur  was  heard  from  them  during  the  remainder 
of  the  voyage  to  Otaheite,  it  being  their  determina- 
tion to  seek  legal  redress  on  the  Bounty's  return  to 
England.  Happy  would  it  have  been  had  they  kept 
their  resolution.  By  so  doing,  if  the  story  be  true, 
they  would  amply  have  been  avenged,  a  vast  num- 
ber of  human  lives  spared,  and  a  world  of  misery 
avoided. 

According  to  this  journalist,  "  the  seeds  of  eternal 
discord  were  sown  between  Lieutenant  Bligh  and 
some  of  his  officers"  while  in  Adventure  Bay,  Van 
Dieman's  Land;  and  on  arriving  at  Matavai  Bay, 
in  Otaheite,  he  is  accused  of  taking  the  officers' 
hogs  and  bread-fruit,  and  serving  them  to  the  ship's 
^-ompany  ;  and  when  the  master  remonstrated  with 


THE    MUTINY.  77 

him  on  the  subject,  he  rephed,  that  "  he  would  con- 
vince him  that  every  thing-  became  his  as  soon  as  it 
was  brought  on  board;  that  he  would  take  nine- 
tenths  of  ever}'  man's  property,  and  let  him  see  who 
dared  to  sa}  any  thing-  to  the  contrary."  The 
sailors'  pigs  were  seized  without  ceremony,  and  it 
became  a  favour  for  a  man  to  obtain  an  extra  pound 
of  his  own  meat. 

The  writer  then  says,  "  the  object  of  our  visit  to 
the  Society  Islands  being  at  length  accomplished,  we 
weighed  on  the  4th  April,  1789.  Every  one  seemed 
in  high  spirits,  and  began  to  talk  of  home,  as  though 
they  had  just  left  Jamaica  instead  of  Otaheite,  so  far 
onward  did  their  flattering  fancies  waft  them.  On 
the  23d  we  anchored  off  Annamooka,  the  inhabitants 
of  which  island  were  very  rude,  and  attempted  to 
take  the  casks  and  axes  from  the  parties  sent  to  fill 
water  and  cut  wood.  A  musket  pointed  at  them 
produced  no  other  effect  than  a  return  of  the  com- 
phment,  by  poising  their  cluhs  or  spears  with  men- 
acing looks  ;  and  as  it  was  Lieutenant  Bligh's  orders 
that  no  person  should  affront  them  on  any  occasion, 
they  were  imboldened  by  meeting  with  no  check  to 
their  insolence.  They  at  length  became  so  trouble- 
some, that  Mr.  Christian,  wlio  commanded  the  wa- 
tering party,  found  it  difficult  to  carry  on  his  duty; 
but  on  acquainting  Lieutenant  Bligh  with  their  be- 
haviour, he  received  a  volley  of  abuse,  was  d d 

as  a  cowardly  rascal,  and  asked  if  he  were  afraid  of 
naked  savages  while  he  had  weapons  in  his  handl 
To  this  he  replied  in  a  respectful  manner,  "The 
arms  are  of  no  effect,  sir,  while  your  orders  prohibit 
their  use." 

This  happened  but  three  days  before  the  mutiny, 
and  the  same  circumstance  is  noticed,  but  somewhat 
differently,  in  Bligh's  MS.  journal,  where  he  says, 
"  the  men  cleared  themselves,  and  they  therefore 
merit  no  punisnment.  As  tu  the  officers  I  have  no 
resource,  nor  do  I  ever  feel  myself  safe  in  the  few 


78  THK    MUTINY 

instances  I  trust  to  them."  A  perusal  of  all  the 
documents  certainly  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  all 
his  officers  were  of  a  very  inferior  description ;  they 
had  no  proper  feeling  of  their  own  situation ;  and 
this,  tog^ether  with  the  contempt  in  which  they  were 
held  by  Bligh,  and  which  he  could  not  disguise,  may 
account  for  that  perfect  indifference  with  regard  both 
to  the  captain  and  the  ship  which  was  mamfested  on 
the  day  of  the  mutiny. 

That  sad  catastrophe,  if  the  writer  cf  the  journal 
be  correct,  was  hastened,  if  not  brought  about,  by 
the  following  circumstance,  of  which  Bhgh  takes  no 
notice.  "  In  the  afternoon  of  the  27th  Lieutenant 
Bligh  came  upon  deck,  and  missing  some  of  the 
cocoanuts  which  had  been  piled  up  between  the 
guns,  said  they  had  been  stolen,  and  could  not  have 
been  taken  away  without  the  knov/ ledge  of  the  offi- 
cers, all  of  whom  were  sent  for  and  questioned  on 
the  subject.  On  their  declaring  that  they  had  not 
seen  any  of  the  people  touch  them,  he  exclaimed, 
'  Then  you  must  have  taken  them  yourselves ;'  and 
proceeded  to  inquire  of  thern  separately  how  many 
they  had  purchased.  On  coming  to  Mr.  Christian, 
that  gentleman  answered,  'I  do  not  know,  sir;  but 
I  hope  you  do  not  think  me  so  mean  as  to  be  guilty 
of  stealing  yours.'      Mr.  Bligh  replied,  'Yes,  you 

d d  hound,  I  do — you  must  have  stolen  them  from 

me,  or  you  would  be  able  to  give  a  better  account  of 
them ;'  then  turning  to  the  other  officers,  he  said, 
'  God  d — n  you,  you  scoundrels,  you  are  all  thieves 
alike,  and  combine  witli  the  men  to  rob  me :  I  sup- 
pose you  will  steal  my  yams  next ;  but  I'll  sweat  you 
for  it,  you  rascals — I'll  make  half  of  you  jump  over- 
board  before  you  get  tlirough  Endeavour  Straits.' 
This  threat  was  followed  by  an  order  to  the  clerk 
'to  stop  the  villains' grog,  and  give  them  but  lialf 
a  pound  of  yams  to-morrow ;  if  they  steal  them,  I'll 
reduce  them  to  a  quarter.' " 

It  is  difficult  to  beheve   that  an  officer  in  hi* 


THK    MUTINY.  79 

majesty's  service  could  condescend  to  make  use  o< 
such  language  to  the  meanest  of  the  crew,  mucii 
less  to  gentlemen;  it  is  to  be  feared,  however,  that 
there  is  sutficient  ground  for  the  truth  of  these  state- 
ments :  with  regard  to  the  last,  it  is  borne  out  by  the 
evidence  of  Mr.  Fryer,  the  master,  on  the  court- 
martial.  This  officer  being  asked,  "  What  did  you 
suppose  to  be  Mr.  Cliristian's  meaning  when  he  said 
he  had  been  in  hell  for  a  fortnight  ?"  answered, 
"  From  the  frequent  quarrels  they  had  had,  and  the 
abuse  which  he  had  received  from  Mr.  Bligh." — 
"  Had  there  been  any  very  recent  quarrel  V — "  The 
day  before,  Mr.  Bligh  challenged  all  the  young  gen- 
tlemen and  people  y/ith  stealing  his  cocoanuts."  It 
was  on  the  evening  of  this  day  that  Lieutenant  Bligh, 
according  to  his  printed  narrative,  says  Christian 
was  to  have  supped  with  him,  but  excused  himself 
on  account  of  being  unwell ;  and  that  he  was  invited 
to  dine  with  hinr  on  the  day  of  the  mutiny. 

Every  one  of  these  circumstances,  and  many 
others  which  might  be  stated  from  Mr.  Morrison's 
journal,  are  omitted  in  Bhgh's  published  narrative ; 
but  many  of  them  are  alluded  to  in  his  original  jour- 
nal, and  others  that  prove  distinctly  the  constant 
reproofs  to  which  his  officers  Avere  subject,  and  the 
bad  terms  on  v/hich  they  stood  with  their  com- 
mander. A  few  extracts  from  this  journal  will  suf- 
ficiently establish  this  point. 

In  so  early  a  part  of  the  voyage  as  their  arrival  in 
Adventure  Bay,  he  found  fault  v/ith  his  officers,  and 
put  the  carpenter  into  confinement.  Again,  at  Ma- 
tavai  Bay,  on  the  5th  December,  Bligh  says,  "I 
ordered  the  carpenter  to  cut  a  large  stone  that  was 
brought  off  by  one  of  the  natives,  requesting  me  to 
get  it  made  fit  for  them  to  grind  their  hatchets  on ; 
but,  to  my  astonishment,  he  refused,  in  direct  terms, 
to  comply,  saying,  '  I  will  not  cut  the  stone,  for  it 
will  spoil  my  chisel;  and  though  there  may  be  law 
to  take  away  my  clothes,  there  is  none  to  take  awav 


80  THE    MUTINY. 

my  tools.'  This  man  having  before  shown  his  mu- 
tinous and  insolent  behaviour,  I  was  under  the  neces- 
sity of  confining  him  to  his  cabin." 

On  the  5th  January  three  men  deserted  in  the  cutter, 
on  which  occasion  Bligh  says,  "  Had  the  mate  of  the 
watch  been  awake,  no  trouble  of  this  kind  would 
have  happened.  I  have  therefore  disrated  and  turned 
him  before  the  mast:  such  neglectful  and  worthless 
petty  officers,  I  believe,  never  were  in  a  ship  as  are 
in  thi?.  No  orders  for  a  few  hours  together  are 
obeyed  by  them,  and  their  conduct  in  general  is  so 
bad  that  no  confidence  or  trust  can  be  reposed  in 
them  ;  in  short,  they  have  driven  me  to  every  thing 
but  corporal  punishment,  and  that  must  follow  if 
they  do  not  improve." 

By  Morrison's  journal  it  would  appear  that  "cor- 
poral punishment"  was  not  long  delayed ;  for  on  the 
very  da^^,  he  says,  the  midshipman  Vvas  put  in  irons, 
and  confined  from  the  5th  January  to  the  23d  March 
— eleven  weeks ! 

On  the  17th  January,  orders  being  given  to  clear 
out  the  sail-room  and  to  air  the  sails,  many  of  them 
were  found  very  much  mildewed,  and  rotten  in  many 
places,  on  which  he  observes,  "  If  I  had  any  officers 
to  supersede  the  master  and  boatswain,  or  was 
capable  of  doing  without  them,  considering  them  as 
common  seamen,  they  should  no  longer  occupy  their 
respective  stations;  scarcel}^  any  neglect  of  duty 
can  equal  the  criminality  of  this." 

On  the  24th  January  the  three  deserters  were 
brought  back  and  flogged,  then  put  in  irons  for  fur- 
ther punishment.  "  As  this  afi'air,"  he  says,  "  w^as 
solely  caused  by  the  neglect  of  the  officers  who  had 
the  watch,  I  was  induced  to  give  them  all  a  lecture 
on  this  occasion,  and  endeavour  to  show  them,  that 
however  exempt  they  were  at  present  from  the  like 
punishment,  yet  they  were  equally  subject,  by  the 
ailicles  of  war,  to  a  condign  one."  He  then  tells 
them  that  it  is  oolv  necessity  that  makes  him  have 


THE    MTTTINY.  81 

recourse  to  reprimand,  because  there  are  no  means 
of  trying  them  by  court-martial ;  and  adds  a  remark, 
not  very  intelhcrfble,  but  what  he  calls  an  unpleasant 
one,  about  such  offenders  having  no  feehngs  of  honour 
or  sense  of  shame. 

On  the  7th  March  a  native  Otaheitan,  whom  Bligh 
had  confined  in  irons,  contrived  to  break  the  lock  of 
the  bilboa-bolt  and  make  his  escape.  "  I  had  given," 
says  Bligh,  "  a  written  order  that  the  mate  of  the 
watch  was  fo  be  answerable  for  the  prisoners,  and 
to  visit  and  see  that  they  were  safe  in  his  watch,  but 
I  have  such  a  neglectful  set  about  me  that  I  believe 
nothing  but  condign  punishment  can  alter  their  con- 
duct. Verbal  orders,  in  the  course  of  a  month,  v.ere 
so  forgotten  that  they  w^ould  impudently  assert  no 
such  thing  or  directions  were  given,- and  1  have  been 
at  last  under  the  necessity  to  trouble  myself  with 
writing  what,  by  decent  young  officers,  would  be 
complied  with  as  the  common  rules  of  the  service. 
Mr.  Stewart  was  the  mate  of  the  watch." 

These  extracts  show  the  terms  on  which  Bligh  was 
with  his  officers;  and  these  few  instances,  with  others 
from  Morrison's  journal,  make  it  pretty  clear,  that 
though  Christian,  as  fieiy  and  passionate  a  youth  as 
his  commander  could  well  be,  and  with  feelings  too 
acute  to  bear  the  foul  and  opprobrious  language  con- 
stantly addressed  to  him,  was  the  sole  instigator  of 
the  mutiny  ; — and  that  the  captain  had  no  support  to 
expect,  and  certainly  received  none  from  the  rest  of 
his  officers.  That  Christian  was  the  sole  author 
appears  still  more  strongly  from  the  following  pas- 
sage in  Morrison's  journal.  "  When  Mr.  Bligh  found 
he  must  go  into  the  boat,  he  begged  of  Mr.  Christian 
to  desist,  saying,  '  I'll  pawn  my  honour,  I'll  give  my 
bond,  Mr.  Christian,  never  to  think  of  this  if  you'll 
desist,'  and  urged  his  wife  and  family;  to  which  Mr. 
Christian  replied,  '  No,  Captain  Bligh,  if  you  had 
any  honour,  things  had  not  come  to  this  ;  and  if  you 
had  any  regard  for  your  wife  and  family,  you  should 


B2  THE    MUTINY. 

have  thought  on  them  before,  and  not  behaved  so 
much  Uke  a  villain.'  Lieutenant  Bligh  again  at- 
tempted to  speak,  but  Avas  ordered  to  be'silent.  The 
boatswain  also  tried  t»  pacify  Mr.  Christian,  to 
whom  he  replied,  '  It  is  too  late ;  I  have  been  in  hell 
for  this  fortnight  past,  and  am  determined  to  bear  it 
no  longer;  and  you  know,  Mr.  Cole,  that  I  have 
been  used  like  a  dog  all  the  voyage.'  " 

It  is  pretty  evident,  therefore,  that  the  mutiny  vras 
not,  as  Bligh  in  his  narrative  states  it  Hb  have  been, 
the  result  of  a  conspiracy.  It  will  be  seen  by  the 
minutes  of  the  court-martial,  that  the  whole  affair 
was  planned  and  executed  between  the  hours  of  four 
and  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  April, 
when  Christian  had  the  watch  upon  deck ;  that  Chris- 
tian, unable  longer  to  bear  the  abusive  and  insulting 
language,  had  meditated  his  own  escape  from  the 
ship  the  day  before,  choosing  to  trust  himself  to  fate 
rather  than  submit  to  the  constant  upbraiding  to 
which  he  had  been  subject ;  but  the  unfortunate  busi- 
ness of  the  cocoanuts  drove  him  to  the  commission 
of  the  rash  and  felonious  act  which  ended,  as  such 
criminal  acts  usually  do,  in  his  own  destruction  and 
that  of  a  great  number  of  others,  many  of  whom 
were  wholly  innocent. 

Lieutenant  Bligh,  like  most  passionate  men  whose 
unruly  tempers  get  the  better  of  their  reason,  having 
vented  his  rage  about  the  cocoanuts,  became  imme- 
diately calm,  and  by  inviting  Christian  to  sup  with 
him  the  same  evening,  evidently  wished  to  renew 
their  friendly  intercourse ;  and  happy  would  it  have 
been  for  all  parties  had  he  accepted  the  invitation. 
On  the  same  night,  towards  ten  o'clock,  when  the 
master  had  the  watch,  Bligh  came  on  deck,  as  was 
his  custom,  before  retiring  to  sleep.  It  v/as  one  of 
those  calm  and  beautiful  nights,  so  frequent  in  tropi- 
cal regions,  whose  soothing  influence  can  be  ap- 
preciated only  by  those  who  have  felt  it,  when,  after 
a  scorching  day,  the  air  breathes  a  most  refreshing 


THE    MUTINY.  83 

coolness.— it  was  an  evening  of  this  sort,  when 
Blig-h  lor  the  last  time  came  upon  deck  in  the  capa- 
city of  commander;  a  gentle  breeze  scarcely  rip- 
pied  the  water,  and  the  moon,  then  in  its  first  quarter, 
shed  its  soft  light  along  the  surface  of  the  sea.  The 
short  and  quiet  conversation  that  took  place  between 
Bhgh  and  the  master  on  this  evening,  after  the  irrita- 
tion of  the  morning  had  subsided  only  to  burst  forth 
again  in  all  the  horrors  of  mutiny  and  piracy,  recalls 
to  one's  recollection  that  beautiful  passage  of  Shaks- 
peare,  where,  on  the  evening  of  the  murder,  Dun- 
can, on  approaching  the  castle  of  Macbeth,  observes 
to  Banquo — ■ 

"  The  air  . 

Nimbly  and  sweetly  recommends  itself 
Unto  our  gentle  senses,"  &;c. — 

a  passage  which  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  considers  as 
a  striking  instance  of  what  in  painting  is  termed 
repose.  "  The  subject,"  he  says,  "  of  this  quiet  and 
easy  conversation  gives  that  repose  so  necessary  to 
the  mind  after  the  tumultuous  bustle  of  the  prece- 
ding scenes,  and  beautifully  contrasts  the  scene  of 
terror  that  immediately  succeeds."  While  on  this 
lovely  night  Bligh  and  his  master  were  congratu- 
lating themselves  on  the  pleasing  prospect  of  fine 
weather  and  a  full  moon  to  light  them  through  En- 
deavour's dangerous  straits,  the  unhappy  and  deluded 
Christian  was,  in  all  probability,  brooding  over  his 
wrongs,  and  meditating  on  the  criminal  act  he  was 
to  perpetrate  the  following  morning;  for  he  has 
himself  stated,  that  he  had  just  fallen  asleep  about 
half  after  three  in  the  morning,  and  wa?  much  out 
of  order. 

The  evidence  on  the  court-martial  is  sufficiently 
explicit  as  to  the  mode  in  which  this  act  of  piracy 
was  committed.  By  the  journal  of  James  Morrison, 
the  following  is  the  account  of  the  transaction  as 
given  by  Christian  himself  to  the  two  midshipmpp 


84  THE   MUTINY. 

Heywood  and  Stewart  (both  of  whom  had  been  kept 
below),  the  moment  they  were  allowed  to  come  upon 
deck,  after  the  boat  in  which  were  Bligh  and  his 
companions  had  been  turned  adrift. 

He  said,  that  "finding-  himself  much  hurt  by  the 
treatment  he  had  received  from  Lieutenant  Bhgh, 
he  had  determined  to  quit  the  ship  the  preceding 
evening,  and  had  informed  the  boatswain,  carpenter, 
and  two  midshipmen  (Stewart  and  Hayivard)  of  his 
intention  to  do  so ;  that  by  them  he  was  supplied 
with  part  of  a  roasted  pig,  some  nails,  beads,  and 
other  articles  of  trade,  which  he  put  into  a  bag  that 
was  given  him  by  the  last-named  gentleman  ;  that 
he  put  this  bag  into  the  clue  of  Robert  Tinkler's  ham- 
mock, where  it  was  discovered  by  that  young  gen- 
tleman when  going  to  bed^t  night,  but  the  business 
vv'as  smothered,  and  passed  oft'  without  any  further 
notice.  He  said  he  had  fastened  some  staves  to  a 
stout  plank,  with  which  he  intended  to  make  his 
escape ;  but  finding  he  could  not  efl^ect  it  during 
the  first  and  middle  watches,  as  the  ship  had  no  way 
til  rough  the  water  and  the  people  were  all  moving 
about,  he  laid  down  to  rest  about  half  past  three  in 
the  morning ;  that  when  Mr.  Stewart  called  him  to 
relieve  the  deck  at  four  o'clock,  he  had  but  just  fallen 
asleep,  and  was  much  out  of  order ;  upon  observing 
which  Mr.  Stewart  strenuously  advised  him  to 
abandon  his  intention ;  that  as  soon  as  he  had  taken 
charge  of  the  deck,  he  saw  Mr.  Hayward,  the  mate 
of  his  watch,  lie  down  on  the  arm-chest  to  take  a 
nap ;  and  finding  that  Mr.  Hallet,  the  other  midship- 
man, did  not  make  his  appearance,  he  suddenly 
formed  the  resolution  of  seizing  the  ship.  Dis- 
closing his  intention  to  Matthew  Quintal  and  Isaac 
Martin,  both  of  whom  had  been  flogged  ny  Lieu- 
tenant Bligh,  they  called  up  Charles  Churchill,  wlio 
had  also  tasted  the  cat,  and  Matthew  Thompson, 
both  of  whom  readily  joined  in  the  plot.  That 
Alexander  Smith  {alias  John  Adams),  John  WiUiams, 


THE    MUTINY.  8Jl 

and  William  M'Koy  evinced  equal  willin^ess,  and 
went  with  Churchill  to  the  armourer,  of  whom  they 
obtained  the  keys  of  the  arm-chest,  under  pretence 
of  wanting  a  musket  to  fire  at  a  shark  then  aloni;- 
side  ;  that  finding  Mr.  Hallet  asleep  on  an  arnirchest 
in  the  main-hatchway,  they  roused  and  sent  him  oh 
deck.  Charles  Norman,  unconscious  of  their  pro- 
ceedings, had  in  the  mean  time  awaked  Mr.  Ha}'-- 
ward  and  directed  his  attention  to  the  shark,  whose 
movements  he  was  watching  at  the  moment  that 
Mr.  Christian  and  his  confederates  came  up  the  fore- 
hatchway,  after  having  placed  arms  in  the  hands  of 
several  men  who  were  not  aware  of  their  design. 
One  man,  Matthew  Thompson,  was  left  in  charge 
of  the  chest,  and  he  served  out  arms  to  Thomas 
Burkitt  and  Robert  Lamb.  Mr.  Christian  said  he 
then  proceeded  to  secure  Lieutenant  Bligh.  the 
master,  gunner,  and  botanist." 

"  When  Mr.  Christian,"  observes  Morrison,  in  his 
journal,  "related  the  above  circumstances,  I  recol- 
lected having  seen  him  fasten  some  staves  to  a  plank 
lying  on  the  larboard  gangway,  as  also  having  heard 
the  boatswain  say  to  the  carpenter,  '  It  will  not  do 
to-night.'  I  likewise  rem.embered  that  Mr.  Chris- 
tian had  visited  the  fore-cockpit  several  times  that 
evening,  although  he  had  very  seldom,  if  ever,  fre- 
quented the  warrant-officers'  cabins  before." 

If  this  be  a  correct  statement  (and  the  greater 
part  of  it  is  borne  out  by  evidence  on  the  court- 
martial),  it  removes  every  doubt  of  Christian  being 
the  sole  instigator  of  the  mutiny,  and  that  no  con- 
spiracy nor  preconcerted  measures  had  any  exist- 
ence, but  that  it  was  suddenly  conceived  by  a  hot- 
headed young  man,  in  a  state  of  great  excitement  of 
mind,  amounting  to  a  tempo.rary  aberration  of  intel- 
lect, caused  by  the  frequent  abusive  and  insulting 
language  of  his  commanding  officer.  Waking  out 
of  a  short  half-hour's  disturbed  sleep  to  take  the 
command  of  the  deck, — finding  the  two  mates  of  the 
G 


86  THE    MUTINY. 

watch,  Hayward  and  Hallet,  asleep  (for  which  they 
ought  to  have  been  dismissed  the  service  instead  of 
being,  as  they  were,  promoted), — the  opportunity 
tempting,  and  the  ship  completely  in  his  power,— 
with  a  momentary  mipulse  he  darted  down  the  fore 
hatchway,  got  possession  of  the  keys  of  the  arm 
chest,  and  made  the  hazardous  experiment  of  arm 
ing  such  of  the  men  as  he  thought  he  could  trust, 
and  effected  his  purpose. 

There  is  a  passage  in  Captain  Beechey's  account 
of  Pitcairn's  Island,  which,  if  correct,  would  cast  a 
stain  on  the  memory  of  the  unfortunate  Stewart,  he 
who,  if  there  was  one  innocent  man  in  the  ship,  was 
that  man.  Captain  Beechey  says,  speaking  of  Chris- 
tian, "His  plan,  strange  as  it  must  appear  for  a 
young  officer  to  adopt  who  was  fairly  advanced  in 
an  h-onourable  profession,  was  to  set  himself  adrift 
upon  a  raft,  and  make  his  way  to  the  island  (Tofoa) 
then  in  sight.  As  quick  in  the  execution  as  in  the 
design,  the  raft  was  soon  constructed,  various  use- 
ful articles  were  got  together,  and  he  was  on  the 
point  of  launching  it,  when  a  young  officer  jt^Ao  after- 
ward perished  in  the  Pandora,  to  whom  Christian  com- 
municated his  intention,  recommended  him,  rather 
than  risk  his  life  on  so  hazardous  an  expedition,  to 
endeavour  to  take  possession  of  the  ship,  which  he 
thought  would  not  be  very  difficult,  as  many  of  the 
ship's  company  were  not  well  disposed  towards  the 
commander,  and  would  all  be  very  glad  to  return  to 
Otaheite,  and  reside  among  their  friends  in  tliat 
island.  This  daring  proposition  is  even  more  extra- 
ordinary than  the  premeditated  scheme  of  his  com- 
panion, and,  if  true,  certainly  relieves  Christian  from 
part  of  the  odium  which  has  hitherto  attached  to 
him  as  the  sole  instigator  of  the  mutiny."  Relieve 
him  •?— not  a  jot !  But  on  the  best  authority  it  may 
boldly  be  stated  that  it  is  not  true ;— the  authority 
of  Stewart's  friend  and  messmate,  the  late  Captain 
Heywood.         ' 


THE    MUTINY.  87 

C/aptaiii  Beechey,  desirous  of  being-  correct  in  his 
statement,  very  properly  sent  his  chapter  on  Pil- 
cairn's  Island  for  any  observations  Captain  Hey  wood 
might  have  to  make  on  what  was  said  therein  re- 
garding the  mutiny ;  observing  in  his  note  which  ac- 
companied it,  that  this  account  received  from  Adams 
differed  materially  from  a  foot-note  in  "  IMarshall's 
Naval  Biography ;"  to  which  Captain  Hey  wood  re- 
turned the  following  reply : — 

''bth  April,  1830. 

"  Dear  Sir, — 1  have  perused  the  account  you  re. 
ceived  from  Adams  of  the  mutiny  in  the  Bounty, 
which  does  indeed  differ  very  materially  from  a  foot- 
note in  Marshall's  Naval  Biography  by  the  editor,  to 
whom  I  verbally  detailed  the  facts,  which  are  strictly 
true. 

"  That  Christian  informed  the  boatswain  and  the 
carpenter,  Messrs.  Hayward  and  Stewart,  of  his  de- 
termination to  leave  the  ship  upon  a  raft  on  the  night 
preceding  the  mutiny  is  certain ;  but  that  any  one 
of  them  (Stewart  in  particular)  should  have  'recom- 
mended, rather  than  risk  his  life  on  so  hazardous  an 
expedition,  that  he  should  tr}-  the  expedient  of  taking 
the  ship  from  the  captain,'  &c.,  is  entirely  at  vari- 
ance with  the  whole  character  and  conduct  of  the 
latter,  both  before  and  after  the  mutiny;  as  well  as 
with  the  assurance  of  Christian  himself  the  very 
night  he  quitted  Taheite,  that  the  idea  of  attempting 
to  take  the  ship  had  never  entered  his  distracted 
mind  until  the  moment  he  relieved  the  deck,  and 
found  his  mate  and  midshipman  asleep.* 

"At  that  last  interview  with  Christian  he  also 
communicated  to  me,  for  the  satisfaction  of  his  rela- 
tions, other  circumstances  connected  with  that  un- 
fortunate disaster,  which,  after  their  deaths,  may  oi 
may  not  be  laid  before  the  public.     And  although 

*  Hayward  and  ilallet,  who  may  thus  be  considered  as  the  passive 
cCthe  iimtiny. 


88  THE    MUTINY. 

they  can  implicate  none  but  himself,  either  living  or 
dead,  they  may  extenuate,  but  will  contain  not  a 
word  of  his  in  defence  of  the  crime  he  committed 
against  the  laws  of  his  country. 

"  I  am,  &c., 

P.  Heywood." 

Captain  Beechey  stated  only  what  he  had  heard 
from  old  Adams,  who  was  not  always  correct  in  the 
information  he  gave  to  the  visiters  of  his  island ; 
but  this  part  of  his  statement  gave  great  pain  to 
Heywood,  who  adverted  to  it  on  his  deathbed,  wish- 
ing, out  of  regard  for  Stewart's  memory  wnd  his 
surviving  friends,  that  it  should  be  publicly  contra- 
dicted ;  and  v/ith  this  view  the  above  reply  of  ("ap- 
tain  Heywood  is  here  inserted. 

The  temptations,  therefore,  which  it  was  sup{:osed 
Otaheite  held  out  to  the  deluded  men  of  the  Bouiity 
had  no  more  share  in  the  transaction  than  the  .sup- 
posed conspiracy.  It  does  not  appear,  indeed,  tliat 
the  cry  of  "  Huzza  for  Otaheite  !"  was  ever  utteied. 
If  this  island  had  been  the  object  of  either  Christian 
or  the  crew,  they  v/ould  not  have  left  it  three  liun- 
dred  miles  behind  them  before  they  perpetrated  the 
act  of  piracy ;  but  after  the  deed  had  been  commit- 
ted, it  would  be  natural  enough  that  they  should  turn 
their  minds  to  the  lovely  island  and  its  fascinating  in- 
habitants which  they  had  but  just  quitted,  and  that  in 
the  moment  of  excitement  some  of  them  should  have 
so  called  out ;  but  Bligh  is  the  only  person  wlio  has 
said  they  did  so. 

If,  however,  the  recollection  of  the  "  sunny  isle" 
and  its  "smiling  Avomen"  had  really  tempted  the 
men  to  mutiny,  Bligh  would  himself  not  be  free 
from  blame,  for  having  allowed  them  to  indulge  foi 
six  whole  months  among  this  valuptuous  mid  fasci- 
nating people ;  for  though  he  was  one  of  the  most 
active  and  anxious  commanders  of  his  tin]e,  "  the 
service."  as  is  observed  by  a  naval  officer,  "  was  car- 


THE    MUTINY  89 

rjed  on  in  those  days  in  a  very  different  spirit  from 
that  which  regulates  its  movements  now ;  othei  wise 
the  Bounty  would  never  have  passed  six  whole 
months  at  one  island  '  stowing  away  the  fruit,'  dur- 
ing which  time  the  officers  and  seamen  had  free 
access  to  the  shore.  Under  similar  circumstances 
nowadays,  if  the  fruit  happened  not  to  be  ready,  the 
ship  would  have  been  off,  after  ten  days'  relaxatiori, 
to  survey  other  islands,  or  speculate  on  coral-reefs, 
or  make  astronomical  observations ;  in  short,  to  do 
something  or  other  to  keep  the  devil  out  of  the 
heads  of  the  crew."*  Bligli  would  appear  to  have 
been  sensible  of  this  on  his  next  expedition  in  the 
Providence ;  for  on  that  occasion  he  collected  more 
bread-fruit  plants  than  on  the  former,  and  spent  only 
half  the  time  in  doing  so. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  Bligh  might  naturally  enough 
conclude  that  the  seamen  were  casting  "a  lingering 
look  behind"  towards  Otaheite.  "  If,"  says  Forster, 
who  accompanied  Cook,  '•  we  fairly  consider  the 
different  situations  of  a  common  sailor  on  board  the 
Resolution,  and  of  a  Taheitan  on  his  island,  we  can- 
not blame  the  former  if  he  attempt  to  rid  himself  of 
the  numberless  discomforts  of  a  voyage  round  the 
world,  and  prefer  an  easy  life,  free  'from  cares,  in 
the  happiest  climate  of  the  world,  to  the  frequent 
vicissitudes  which  are  entailed  upon  the  mariner. 
The  most  favourable  prospects  of  future  success  in 
England,  which  he  might  form  in  idea,  could  never 
be  so  flattering  to  his  senses  as  the  lowly  hope  of 
living  like  the  meanest  Taheitan.  And  supposing 
him  to  escape  the  misfortunes  incident  to  seamen, 
still  he  must  earn  his  subsistence  in  England  at  the 
expense  of  labour  and  '  in  the  sweat  of  his  brow,' 
v/hen  this  oldest  curse  on  mankind  is  scarcely  felt 
at  Taheite.  Two  or  tnree  bread-fruit  trees,  which 
grow  almost  without  any  culture,  and  which  flourish 

*  Quarterly  Review,  No  8* 


90  THE    MUTINY. 

as  long  as  he  himself  can  expect  to  live,  supply  him 
with  abundant  food  during  three-fourths  of  the  year. 
The  cloth-trees  and  eddo-roots  are  cultivated'with 
much  less  trouble  than  our  cabbages  and  kitchen- 
herbs.  The  banana,  the  royal  palm,  the  golden 
apple,  all  thrive  with  such  luxuriance,  and  require 
so  little  trouble,  that  I  may  venture  to  call  them 
spontaneous.  Most  of  their  days  are  therefore  spent 
in  a  round  of  various  enjoyments,  where  Nature  has 
lavished  many  a  pleasing  landscape  ;  where  the  tem- 
perature of  the  air  is  warm,  but  continuallj^  refreshed 
by  a  wholesome  breeze  from  the  sea;  and  where  the 
sky  is  almost  constantly  serene.  A  kind  of  happy 
uniformity  runs  through  the  whole  life  of  the  Tahei- 
tans.  They  rise  with  the  sun,  and  hasten  to  rivers 
and  fountains  to  perform  an  ablution  equally  reviv- 
ing and  cleanly.  They  pass  the  morning  at  work, 
or  walk  about  till  the  heat  of  the  day  increases,  when 
they  retreat  to  their  dwellings,  or  repose  under  some 
tufted  tree.  There  they  amuse  themselves  with 
smoothing  their  hair,  and  anoint  it  with  fragrant  oils ; 
or  they  blow  the  flute,  and  sing  to  it,  or  listen  to  the 
songs  of  the  birds.  At  the  hour  of  noon,  or  a  little 
later,  they  go  to  dinner.  After  their  meals  they  re- 
sume their  domestic  amusements,  during  which  the 
flame  of  mutual  affection  spreads  in  every  heart,  and 
unites  the  rising  generation  with  new  and  tender 
ties.  The  lively  jest  without  any  ill-nature,  the  art- 
less tale,  the  jocund  dance,  and  frugal  supper  bring 
on  the  evening,  and  another  visit  to  the  river  con- 
cludes the  actions  of  the  day.  Thus  contented  with 
their  simple  way  of  life,  and  placed  in  a  delightful 
country,  they  are  free  from  cares  and  happy  in  their 
ignorance." 

Such  is  the  picture  drawn  of  the  happy  people  of 
Otaheite  by  a  cold,  philosophical  German  doctor; 
and  such,  with  very  little  change,  Bligh  found  themi. 
As  far,  hov/ever,  as  the  mutiny  of  his  people  was 
f.jncerned,  we  must  wholly  discard  the  idea  thrown 


THE  mutin:'.  91 

otjt  by  him,  that  the  seductions  of  Otaheite  nad  r^ny 
shaie  ill  producing  it.  It  could  not  have  escape" ?..  p. 
person  of  Christian's  sagacity,  that  certain  intcV- 
rogatories  would  unquestionably  be  pu-  by  the  na- 
tives of  Otaheite  on  finding  the  ship  return  so  sor.n 
without  her  commander,  without  the  bread-fruit 
plants,  and  with  only  about  half  her  crew  ;  question?, 
he  knew,  to  which  no  satisfactory  answer  could  be 
made ;  and  though  at  subsequent  periods  he  twice 
visited  that  island,  it  was  some  time  afterward,  and 
not  from  choice,  but  necessity.  Ilis  object  was  to 
find  a  place  of  concealment,  where  he  might  pass  ihe 
remainder  of  his  days  unheard  of  and  unknown,  and 
where  it  is  to  be  hoped  he  had  time  for  sincere  re- 
pentance, the  only  atonement  he  could  make  for  the 
commission  of  a  crime  v/hich  involved  so  many  hu- 
man beings  in  misery,  and  brought  others  to  an  un- 
timely end     But  tf  this  he?'^after. 


02  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE    OPEN-BOAT   NAVIGATION. 

•*The  boat  is  lower'd  with  all  the  haste  of  hate, 
With  its  slight  plank  between  thee  and  ihy  fate; 
Her  only  cargo  such  a  scant  snpplr 
As  promises  the  death  their  hands  deny 
And  just  enough  of  water  and  of  bread 
To  keej),  some  days,  the  dying  from  the  dead  ; 
Some  cordage,  canvass,  sails,  and  lines,  and  twin* 
But  treasures  all  to  hermits  of  the  brine, 
Were  added  after,  to  the  parnest  prayer 
Of  thosH  who  saw  nr  hope  save  Pca  and  air; 
And  last,  that  trcrnblinj;  vassal  of  ihe  Pole, 
The  feeling  compass,  Navigation's  soul. 

The  launch  is  crowded  with  the  faithful  few 
That  wait  their  chief- a  melancholy  crew  ; 
But  someremain'd  reluctant  on  the  deck 
Of  that  proud  vessel,  now  a  moral  wreck— 
And  view'd  their  captain's  fate  with  piteous  eyes  ; 
While  others  scoff'd  his  augurM  miseries, 
Sneer'd  a:  the  prospect  of  his  pigmy  sail, 
And  the  .slight  bark,  so  laden  and  so  frail.'' 

Christian  had  intended  to  send  away  his  captain 
and  associates  in  the  cutter,  and  ordered  that  it 
should  be  hoisted  out  ibr  that  purpose,  which  was 
done — a  small  wretched  boat,  that  could  hold  but 
eight  or  ten  men  at  the  most,  with  a  very  small  ad- 
ditional weight ;  and,  what  was  still  worse,  she  was 
so  worm-eaten  and  decayed,  especially  in  the  bot- 
tom planks,  that  the  probability  was,  she  would  have 
gone  down  before  she  had  proceeded  a  mile  from  the 
ship.  In  this  "rotten  carcass  of  a  boat,"  not  unlike 
that  into  which  Prospero  and  his  lovely  daughter 
were  "  hoist," 

"  not  rigg'd. 
Nor  tackle,  sail,  nor  mast ;  the  ver)'  rats 
Instinctively  had  quit  it." 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  93 

did  Christian  intend  to  cast  adrift  his  late  commander 
and  his  eighteen  innocent  companions,  or  as  many 
of  them  as  she  would  stow,  to  find,  as  they  inevi- 
tably must  have  found,  a  wateiy  grave.  But  the 
remonstrances  of  the  m.aster,  boatswain,  and  carpen- 
ter prevailed  on  him  to  let  those  unfortunate  men 
have  the  launch,  into  which  nineteen  persons  were 
thrust,  whose  weight,  together  with  that  of  the  few 
articles,  they  were  permitted  to  take,  brought  down 
the  boat  so  near  to  the  water  as  to  endanger  her 
sinking  with  but  a  moderate  swell  of  the  sea— and  to 
all  human  appearance,  in  no  state  to  survive  the 
length  of  voyage  they  were  destined  to  perform  over 
the  wide  ocean,  but  which  they  did  most  miracu- 
lously survive. 

The  first  consideration  of  Lieutenant  Bligh  and 
his  eighteen  unfortunate  companions,  on  being  cast 
adrift  in  their  open  boat,  was  to  examine  the  state 
of  their  resources.  The  quantity  of  provisions 
which  they  found  to  have  been  thrown  into  the  boat 
by  seme  few  kind-hearted  »nessmates  amounted  to 
one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  bread,  sixteen  pieces 
of  pork,  each  weighing  two  pounds,  six  quarts  of 
rum,  six  bottles  of  wine,  with  twenty-eight  gallons 
of  water,  and  four  empty  barricoes.  Being  so  near 
to  the  island  of  Tofoa,  it  was  resolved  to  seek  there 
a  supply  of  bread-fruit  and  water,  to  preserve  if  pos- 
sible the  above-mentioned  stock  entire ;  but  after 
rowing  along  the  coast,  they  discovered  only  some 
cocoanut-trees  on  the  top  of  high  precipices,  from 
which,  with  mich  danger,  owing  to  the  surf,  and 
great  difficulty  in  climbing  the  cliffs,  they  succeeded 
in  obtaining  about  twenty  nuts.  The  second  day 
they  made  excursions  into  the  island,  but  without 
success.  They  met,  however,  v,ath  a  few  natives, 
who  came  down  with  them  to  the  cove  where  the 
boat  was  lying;  and  others  presently  followed. 
7'hey  made  inquiries  after  the  ship,  and  Bligh  unfor- 
tunately advised  thej'  should  say  that  the  ship  had 
H 


94  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

overset  and  sunk,  and  that  they  only  were  saved.  The 
story  might  be  innocent,  but  it  was  certainly  indis. 
creet  to  put  the  people  in  possession  of  their  de- 
fenceless situation ;  however,  they  brought  in  small 
quantities  of  bread-fruit,  plantains,  and  cocoanuts, 
but  little  or  no  water  could  be  procured.  These 
supplies,  scanty  as  they  were,  served  to  keep  up  the 
spiiits  of  the  men  :  "  They  no  longer,"  says  Bligh, 
"  regarded  me  with  those  anxious  looks  which  had 
constantly  been  directed  towards  me  since  we  lost 
sight  of  the  ship :  every  countenance  appeared  to 
have  a  degree  of  cheerfulness,  and  ihey  all  seemed 
determined  to  do  their  best." 

The  numbers  of  the  natives  having  so  much  in- 
creased as  to  line  the  whole  beach,  they  began 
knocking  stones  together,  which  was  known  to  be 
the  preparatory  signal  for  an  attack.  With  some 
difficulty,  on  account  of  the  surf,  our  seamen  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  the  things  that  were  on  shore  into 
the  boat,  together  with  all  the  men,  except  John 
Norton,  quarter-master,  «iwho  was  casting  off  the 
itern-fast.  The  natives  immediately  rushed  upon 
.his  poor  man,  and  actually  stoned  him  to  death.  A 
/olley  of  stones  was  also  discharged  at  the  boat,  and 
.every  one  in  it  was  more  or  less  hurt.  This  induced 
the  people  to  push  out  to  sea  with  all  the  speed  they 
were  able  to  give  to  the  launch,  but  to  their  sur- 
prise and  alarm,  several  canoes  filled  with  stones 
followed  close  after  them  and  renewed  the  attack ; 
against  which,  the  only  return  the  unfortunate  men 
in  the  boat  could  make,  was  with  the  stones  of  tlie 
assailants  that  lodged  in  her,  a  species  of  warfare  in 
which  they  were  very  inferior  to  the  Indians.  IMie 
only  expedient  left  was  to  tempt  the  enemy  to  desist 
from  the  pursuit,  by  throwing  overboard  s^me 
clothes,  which  fortunately  induced  the  canoes  to 
stop  and  pick  them  up ;  and  night  coming  on  they 
returned  to  the  shore,  leaving  the  party  in  the  boat 
to  reflect  on  their  unhappv  situation. 


THE  OPEN- BOAT  NAVIGATION.        95 

The  men  now  entreated  their  commander  to  take 
them  towards  home  ;  and  on  being  told  that  no  hope 
of  relief  could  be  entertained  till  they  reached  Timor, 
a  distance  of  full  twelve  hundred  leagues,  they  all 
readily  agreed  to  be  content  with  an  allowance, 
which,  on  calculation  of  their  resources,  the  com- 
mander informed  them  would  not  exceed  one  ounce 
of  bread  and  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  water  per  day. 
Recommending  them,  therefore,  in  the  most  solemn 
manner,  not  to  depart  from  their  promise  in  this  re- 
spect, "  we  bore  away,"  says  Bhgh,  "  across  a  sea 
where  the  navigation  is  but  little  known,  in  a  small 
boat,  twenty-three  feet  long  from  stem  to  stern, 
deeply  laden  with  eighteen  men.  I  was  happy,  how- 
ever, to  see  that  every  one  seemed  better  satisfied 
with  our  situation  than  myself.  It  was  about  eight 
o'clock  at  night  on  the  2d  May  when  we  bore  away 
under  a  reefed  lug-foresail ;  and  having  divided  the 
people  into  watches,  and  got  the  boat  into  a  little 
order,  we  returned  thanks  to  God  for  our  miraculous 
preservation,  and  in  full  confidence  of  his  gracious 
support,  I  found  my  mind  more  at  ease  than  it  had 
been  for  some  time  past." 

At  daybreak  on  the  3d,  the  forlorn  and  almost 
hopeless  navigators  saw  with  alarm  the  sun  to  rise 
fiery  and  red, — a  sure  indication  of  a  severe  gale  of 
wind ;  and  accordingly,  at  eight  o'clock  it  blew  a 
violent  storm,  and  the  sea  ran  so  very  high,  that  the 
sail  was  becalmed  when  between  the' seas,  and  too 
much  to  have  set  when  on  the  top  of  the  sea ;  yet  it 
is  stated  that  they  could  not  venture  to  take  it  in, 
as  they  were  in  very  imminent  danger  and  distress, 
the  sea  curling  over  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and 
obliging  them  to  bale  v/ith  all  their  might.  "  A  situa^ 
tion,"  observes  the  commander,  "  more  distressing 
has  perhaps,  seldom  been  experienced." 

The  bread,  being  in  bags,  was  in  the  greatest  dan* 
ger  of  being  spoiled  by  the  wet,  the  consequence  of 
which,  if  not  prevented,  must  have  been  fatal,  as  the 


96  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

whole  party  would  inevitably  be  starved  to  death,  if 
they  should  fortunately  escape  the  fury  of  the 
waves.  It  was  determined,  therefore,  that  all  super- 
fluous clothes,  with  some  rope  and  spare  sails, 
should  be  thrown  overboard,  by  which  the  boat  w  ;is 
considerably  lig:htened.  The  carpenters  tool-cliest 
was  cleared,  and  the  tools  stowed  in  the  bottem  of 
the  boat,  and  the  bread  secured  in  the  chest.  All 
the  people  being  thoroughly  wet  and  cold,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  rum  was  served  out  to  each  person,  witli 
a  quarter  of  a  bread-fruit,  which  is  stated  to  have 
been  scarcely  eatable,  for  dinner;  Bligh  having  ("e- 
terrnined  to  preserve  sacredly,  and  at  the  peril  of  liis 
life,  the  engagement  they  entered  into,  and  to  make 
their  small  stock  of  provisions  last  eight  weeks,  let 
the  daily  proportion  be  ever  so  small. 

The  sea  continuing  to  run  even  higher  than  in  the 
morning,  the  fatigue  of  bailing  became  very  great ; 
the  boat  was  necessarily  kept  before  the  sea.  The 
men  were  constantly  wet,  the  night  very  cold,  and 
at  daylight  their  limbs  were  so  benumbed  that  they 
could  scarcely  find  the  use  of  them.  At  this  time  a 
tea-spoonful  of  rum  served  out  to  each  person  was 
found  of  great  benefit  to  all.  Five  small  cocoanuts 
were  distributed  for  dinner,  and  every  one  was  satis- 
fied; and  in  the  evening  a  few  broken  pieces  of 
bread-fruit  were  served  for  supper,  after  which 
prayers  were  performed. 

On  the  night  of  the  4th  and  morning  of  the  5th 
the  gale  had  abated ;  the  first  step  to  be  taken  was 
to  examine  the  state  of  the  bread,  a  great  part  of 
which  was  found  to  be  damaged  and  rotten — but 
even  this  was  carefully  preserved  for  use.  The  boat 
was  now  running  among  some  islands,  but  after  their 
reception  at  Tofoa,  they  did  not  venture  to  land.  On 
the  6th  they  still  continued  to  see  islands  at  a  dis- 
tance ;  and  this  day,  for  the  first  time,  they  hooked 
a  fish,  to  their  great  joy ;  "  but,"  says  the  commandtir, 
**  we  were  miserably  disappointed  by  its  being  lost  in 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATIOM.  97 

trying  to  get  it  into  the  boat."  In  the  evening  each 
person  had  an  ounce  of  the  damaged  bread,  and  a 
quarter  of  a  pint  of  water  for  supper. 

Lieutenant  Bligh  observes,  "  It  will  readily  be  sup- 
posed our  lodgings  were  very  miserable,  and  con- 
fined for  want  of  room ;"  but  he  endeavoured  to 
remedy  the  latter  defect  by  putting  themselves  at 
watch  and  watch ;  so  that  one  half  always  sat  up, 
while  the  other  lay  down  on  the  boat's  bottom,  or 
upon  a  chest,  but  with  nothing  to  cover  them  ex- 
cept the  heavens.  Their  limbs,  he  says,  were  dread- 
fully cramped,  for  they  could  not  stretch  them  out ; 
and  the  nights  were  so  cold,  and  they  were  so  con- 
stantly wet,  that  after  a  few  hours'  sleep,  they  were 
scarcely  able  to  move.  At  dawn  of  day  on  the  7th, 
bemg  very  wet  and  cold,  he  says,  "  I  served  aspoon- 
*"ul  of  rum  and  a  morsel  of  bread  for  breakfast." 

In  the  course  of  this  day  they  passed  close  to 
some  rocky  isles,  from  which  two  large  sailing- 
canoes  came  swiftly  after  them,  but  in  the  afternoon 
gave  over  the  chase.  They  were  of  the  same  con- 
struction as  those  of  the  Friendly  Islands,  and  t^ 
land  seen  for  the  last  two  da>  s  V7as  supposed  to  b» 
the  Fejee  Islands.  But  being  constantly  wet,  Bligh 
says,  "It  is  with  the  utmost  difSculiy  I  can  open  a 
book  to  write,  and  I  feel  truly  sensible  I  can  do  no 
more  than  point  out  where  these  lands  are  to  be 
found,  and  give  some  iueaof  their  extent."  Heavy 
rain  came  on  in  the  afternoon,  when  every  person  in 
the, boat  did  his  utmost  to  cat^h  some  water,  and 
thus  succeeded  in  increasing  their  stock  to  thirty- 
four  gallons,  besides  quenching  their  thirst  for  the 
first  time  they  had  been  able  to  do  so  since  they  had 
been  at  sea :  but  it  seems  an  attendant  consequence 
of  the  heavy  rain  caused  them  to  pass  the  night  very 
miserably ;  for  being  extremely  wet,  and  having  no 
dry  things  to  shift  or  cover  themselves,  they  expe- 
rienced cold  and  shiverings  scarcely  to  be  conceived. 

Oa  the  8th,  the  allowance  issued  was  an  ounce  and 


98  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

a  half  of  pork,  a  tea-spoonful  of  mm,  half  a  pint  of 
cocoanut  milk,  and  an  ounce  of  bread.  The  rum, 
though  so  small  in  quantity,  is  stated  to  have  been 
of  the  greatest  service.  In  the  afternoon  they  were 
employed  in  cleaning  out  the  boat,  which  occupied 
them  until  sunset  before  they  got  every  thing  dry 
and  in  order.  "  Hitherto,"  Bligh  says,  "  I  had  issued 
the  allowance  by  guess,  but  I  now  made  a  pair  of 
scales  ^vith  two  cocoanut  shells ;  and  having  acci- 
dentally some  pistol-balls  in  the  boat,  twenty-five  of 
which  weighed  one  pound,  or  sixteen  ounces,  I 
adopted  one  of  these  balls  as  the  proportion  of 
weight  that  each  person  should  receive  of  bread  at 
the  times  I  served  it.  I  also  amused  all  hands  with 
describing  the  situations  of  New-Guinea  and  New- 
Holland,  and  gave  them  every  information  in  my 
power,  that  in  case  any  accident  should  happen  to 
me,  those  who  survived  might  have  some  idea  of 
what  they  were  about,  and  be  able  to  find  their  way 
to  Timor,  which  at  present  they  knew  nothing  of 
more  than  the  name,  and  some  not  even  that.  At 
night  I  served  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  water  and  half 
an  ounce  of  bread  for  supper. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of 
cocoanut  milk  and  some  of  the  decayed  bread  were 
served  for  breakfast ;  and  for  dinner,  the  kernels  of 
four  cocoanuts,  with  the  remainder  of  the  rotten 
bread,  which,  he  says,  was  eatable  only  by  such  dis- 
tressed people  as  themselves.  A  storm  of  thunder 
and  lightning  gave  them  about  twenty  gallon*  of 
water.  "  Being  miserably  wet  and  cold,  I  served  to 
the  people  a  tea-spoonful  of  rum  each,  to  enable 
them  to  bear  with  their  distressing  situation.  The 
weather  continued  extremely  bad,  and  the  wind  in- 
creased ;  we  spent  a  very  miserable  night,  without 
sleep,  except  such  as  could  be  got  in  the  midst  of 
rain.-' 

The  following  day,  the  10th,  brought  no  relief, 
except  that  of  its  light.    The  sea  broke  over  the 


THK    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  99 

boat  so  much,  that  two  men  were  kept  constantly 
bailing- ;  and  it  was  necesc^ary  to  keep  the  boat  before 
the  waves  for  fear  of  its  filling-.  The  allowance 
now  served  regularly  to  each  person  was  one 
twenty-fifth  part  of  a  pound  of  bread  and  a  quarter 
of  a  pint  of  water,  at  eight  in  the  mogiing,  at  noon, 
and  at  sunset.  To-day  was  added  about  half  an 
ounce  of  pork  for  dinner,  which,  though  any  mode- 
rate person  would  have  considered  onl)''  as  a 
mouthful,  was  divided  into  three  or  four. 

The  morning  of  the  11th  did  not  improve.  "At 
daybreak  I  served  to  every  person  a  tea-spoonful  of 
rum,  our  limbs  being  so  much  cramped  that  we  could 
scarcely  move  them.  Our  situation  was  now  ex- 
tremely dangerous,  the  sea  frequently  running  over 
our  stern,  which  kept  us  bailing  with  all  our  strength. 
At  noon  the  sun  appeared,  which  gave  us  as  much 
pleasure  as  is  felt  when  it  shows  itself  on  a  winter's 
day  in  England. 

"  In  the  evening  of  the  12th  it  still  rained  hard, 
and  we  again  experienced  a  dreadful  night.  At 
length  the  day  came,  and  showed  a  miserable  set  of 
beings,  full  of  wants,  without  any  thing  to  relieve 
them.  Some  complained  of  great  pain  in  their 
bowels,  and  every  one  of  having  almost  lost  the  use 
of  his  limbs.  The  little  sleep  we  got  was  in  no  way 
refreshing,  as  we  were  constantly  covered  Avith  tlie 
sea  and  rain.  The  weather  continuing,  and  no  sun 
affording  the  least  prospect  of  getting  our  clothes 
dried,  1  recommended  to  every  one  to  strip  and 
wring  them  through  the  sea-water,  by  which  means 
they  received  a  warmth  that,  while  wet  with  rain- 
water, they  could  not  have."  The  shipping  of  seas 
and  constant  baihng  continued  ;  and  though  the  men 
were  shivering  with  wet  and  cold,  the  commander 
was  under  the  necessity  of  informing  them,  that  he 
could  no  longer  afford  them  the  comfort  they  had 
derived  from  the  tea-spoonful  of  rum. 
On  the  13th  and  14th  the   stormy  weather  and 


100  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

heavy  sea  continued  unabated,  and  on  these  days 
they  saw  distant  land,  and  passed  several  islands. 
The  sight  of  these  islands,  i't  may  well  be  supposed, 
served  only  to  increase  the  misery  of  their  situation. 
They  were  as  men  very  little  better  than  starving 
with  plenty  ill  their  view;  yet,  to  attempt  procuring 
any  relief  was  considered  to  be  attended  with  so 
much  danger,  that  the  prolongation  of  life,  even  in 
the  midst  of  misery,  was  thought  preferable,  while 
there  remained  hopes  of  being  able  to  surmount 
their  hardships. 

The  whole  day  and  night  of  the  15th  were  still 
rainy ;  the  latter  was  dark,  not  a  star  to  be  seen  by 
which  the  steerage  could  be  directed,  and  the  sea 
was  continually  breaking  over  the  boat.  On  the 
next  day,  the  16th,  was  issued  for  dinner  an  ounce 
of  salt  pork,  in  addition  to  their  miserable  allowance 
of  one  twenty-fifth  part  of  a  pound  of  bread.  The 
night  was  again  truly  horrible,  with  storms  of 
thunder,  lightning,  and  rain ;  not  a  star  visible,  so 
that  the  steerage  w^as  quite  uncertain. 

(5n  the  morning  of  the  17th,  at  dawn  of  day,  "1 
found,"  says  the  commander,  "  every  person  com- 
plaining, and  some  of  them  solicited  extra  allowance, 
which  1  positively  refused.  Our  situation  was 
miserable  ;  always  wet,  and  suffering  extreme  cold 
in  the  night,  without  the  least  shelter  from  the 
weather.  The  little  rum  we  had  was  of  the  greatest 
service  :  when  our  nights  were  particularly  distress- 
ing, I  generally  served  a  tea-spoonful  or  two  to 
each  person,  and  it  was  always  joyful  tidings  when 
they  heard  of  my  intentions.  The  night  was  again 
n  dark  and  dismal  one,  the  sea  constantly  breaking 
over  us,  and  nothing  but  the  wind  and  waves  to 
direct  our  steerage.  It  was  my  intention,  if  pos- 
sible, to  make  the  coast  of  New-Holland  to  the 
southward  of  Endeavour  Straits,  being  sensible  that 
it  was  necessary  to  preserve  such  a  situation  as 
would  make  a  southerlv  wind  a  fair  one ;  that  we 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  101 

might  range  along,  the  reefs  till  an  opening  sTiould  be 
found  into  smooth  water,  and  we  the  sooner  be  abfe 
to  pick  up  some  refreshments." 

0:i  the  18th  the  rain  abated,  when,  at  their  com- 
mander's recommendation,  they  all  stripped  and 
wrung  their  clothes  through  the  sea-water,  from 
which,  as  usual,  they  derived  much  warmth  and  re- 
freshment; but  every  one  complained  of  violent 
pains  in  their  bones.  At  night  the  heavy  rain  re- 
commenced, with  severe  lightning,  which  obliged 
them  to  keep  baiUng  without  intermission.  The 
same  weather  continued  through  the  19th  and  20th  ; 
the  rain  constant — at  times  a  deluge — the  men  al- 
ways bailing;  the  commander,  too,  found  it  neces- 
sary to  issue  for  dinner  only  half  an  ounce  of  pork. 

At  dawn  of  day,  Lieutenant  Bligh  states,  that 
some  of  his  people  seemed  half-dead ;  that  their  ap- 
pearances were  horrible;  "  and  I  could  look,"  says 
he,  "  no  way,  but  I  caught  the  eye  of  some  one  in 
distress.  Extreme  hunger  was  now  too  evident,  but 
no  one  suffered  from  thirst,  nor  had  we  nuich  incli- 
nation to  drink,  that  desire  perhaps  being  satisfied 
through  the  skin.  The  little  sleep  we  got  was  in 
the  midst  of  water,  and  we  constantly  awoke  with 
severe  cramps  and  pains  in  our  bones.  At  noon  the 
sun  broke  out  and  revived  every  one. 

"  During  the  whole  of  the  afternoon  of  the  2Ist 
we  were  so  covered  with  rain  and  salt  water,  that 
we  could  scarcely  see.  We  suffered  extreme  cold, 
and  every  one  dreaded  the  approach  of  night. 
Sleep,  though  we  longed  for  it,  afforded  no  comfort ; 
for  my  own  part,  I  almost  lived  without  it.  On  the 
2-2d  our  situation  was  extremely  calamitous.  We 
vreve  obliged  to  take  the  course  of  the  sea,  running 
right  before  it,  and  watching  with  the  utmost  care, 
as  the  least  error  in  the  helm  would  in  a  moment 
have  been  our  destruction.  It  continued  thrnugh 
ne  day  to  blow  hard,  and  the  foam  of  the  sea  kept 
running  over  our  stern  and  Quarters. 


102  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

"  The  misery  we  suffered  this  night  exceeded  the 
preceding.  The  sea  flew  over  us  with  great  force, 
and  kept  us  bailing  with  horror  and  anxiety.  At 
dawn  of  day  I  found  every  one  in  a  most  distressed 
condition,  and  I  began  to  fear  that  another  such 
night  would  put  an  end  to  the  lives  of  several,  who 
seemed  no  longer  able  to  support  their  sufferings 
I  served  an  allowance  of  tioo  tea-spoonfuls  of  rum; 
after  drinking  which,  and  having  wrung  our  clothes 
and  taken  our  breakfast  of  bread  and  water,  we  be- 
came a  little  refreshed. 

"  On  the  evening  of  the  24th,  the  wind  moderated 
and  the  weather  looked  much  better,  which  rejoiced 
all  hands,  so  that  they  ate  their  scanty  allowance 
with  more  satisfaction  than  for  some  time  past. 
The  night  also  was  fair ;  but  being  always  wet  with 
the  sea,  we  suffered  much  from  the  cold.  I  had  the 
pleasure  to  see  a  fine  morningproduce  some  cheerful 
countenances ;  and  for  the  first  time  during  the  last 
fifteen  days  we  experienced  comfort  from  the 
warmth  of  the  sun.  We  stripped  and  hung  up  our 
clothes  to  dry,  which  were  by  this  time  become  so 
threadbare,  that  they  could  not  keep  out  either  wet 
or  cold.  In  the  afternoon  we  had  many  birds  about 
us,  which  are  never  seen  far  from  land,  such  as 
boobies  and  noddies." 

As  the  sea  now  began  to  run  fair,  and  the  boat 
shipped  but  little  water,  Lieutenant  Bligh  took  the 
opportunity  to  examine  into  the  state  of  their 
bread  ;  and  it  was  found  that,  according  to  the  pres- 
ent mode  of  hving,  there  was  a  sufficient  quantity 
remaining  for  twenty-nine  days'  allowance,  by  which 
time  there  was  every  reason  to  expect  Ihey  would 
be  able  to  reach  Timor.  But  as  this  w^as  still  un- 
certain, and  it  was  possible  that,  after  all,  tliey  might 
be  obliged  to  go  to  Java,  it  was  determined  to  pro- 
portion the  allowance,  so  as  to  make  the  stock  hold 
out  six  weeks.  "I  was  apprehensive,"  he  says, 
**  that  this  would  be  ill  received,  and  that  it  would 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  103 

require  my  utmost  resolution  to  enforce  it;  for, 
small  as  the  quantity  was  which  I  intended  to  take 
away  for  our  future  good,  yet  it  might  appear  to  my 
people  like  robbing  them  of  life ;  and  some  who 
were  less  patient  than  their  companions,  I  expected 
would  very  ill  brook  it.  However,  on  my  repre- 
senting the  necessity  of  guarding  against  delays  that 
might  be  occasioned  by  contrary  winds,  or  other 
causes,  and  promising  to  enlarge  upon  the  allowance 
as  we  got  on,  they  cheerfully  agreed  to  my  pro- 
posal." It  was  accordingly  settled  that  every  person 
should  receive  one  twenty-fifth  part  of  a  pound  of 
bread  for  breakfast,  and  the  same  quantity  for  dinner 
as  usual,  but  that  the  proportion  for  supper  should 
oe  discontinued  ;  this  arrangement  left  them  forty- 
three  days'  consumption. 

On  the  25th,  about  noon,  some  noddies  came  so 
near  to  the  boat  that  one  of  them  was  caught  by 
hand.  This  bird  was  about  the  size  of  a  small  pigeon. 
''  I  divided  it,"  says  Bligh,  "  with  its  entrails,  into 
eighteen  portions,  and  by  a  Avell-known  method  at 
sea,  of  '  Who  shall  have  this?''*  it  was  distributed, 
with  the  allowance  of  bread  and  water  for  dinner, 
and  eaten  up,  bones  and  all,  witj^salt  water  for  sauce. 
In  the  evening,  several  boobies  flying  near  to  us,  we 
had  the  good  fortune  to  catch  one  of  them.  This 
bird  is  as  large  as  a  duck.  They  are  the  most 
presumptive  proof  of  being  near  land  of  any  sea- 
fowl  we  are  acquainted  with.  I  directed  the  bird  to 
be  killed  for  supper,  and  the  blood  to  be  given  to 
three  of  the  people  who  were  the  most  distressed 
for  want  of  food.  The  body,  with  the  entrails,  beak, 
and  feet,  I  divided  into  eighteen  shares,  and  with  the 
allowance    of  bread,  which  I   made    a  merit    of 

*  One  person  turns  his  back  on  the  object  that  is  to  be  divided; 
mother  then  points  separately  to  ttie  portions,  at  each  of  them  asking 
alouil,  "  Who  shall  have  this  ■?"  to  which  the  first  answers  by  naming 
somebody.  This  impartial  method  of  distribution  gives  every  man  an 
equal  chance  of  the  best  share.  Bligh  used  to  speak  of  the  great  amuse 
cent  the  poor  people  bad  at  the  b .ak  and^laws  falling  to  his  share. 


104  THE    OPEN-BOAT   NAVIGATION. 

granting,  we  made  a  good  supper  compared  with  our 
usual  fare. 

"  On  the  next  da^^  the  26th,  we  caught  another 
booby,  so  that  Providence  appeared  to  be  relieving 
our  wants  in  an  extraordinary  manner.  The  people 
were  overjoyed  at  this  addition  to  their  dinner, 
which  was  distributed  in  the  same  manner  as  on  the 
preceding  evening;  giving  the  blood  to  those  who 
were  the  most  in  want  of  food.  To  make  the  bread 
a  little  savoury,  most  of  the  men  frequently  dipped 
it  in  salt  water,  but  I  generally  broke  mine  into 
small  pieces,  and  ate  it  in  my  allowance  of  water, 
out  of  a  cocoanut  shell,  with  a  spoon;  economically 
avoiding  to  take  too  large  a  piece  at  a  time,  so  that  I 
was  as  long  at  dinner  as  if  it  had  been  a  much  more 
plentiful  meal." 

The  weather  was  now  serene,  which,  neverthe- 
less, was  not  without  its  inconveniences,  for,  it 
appears,  they  began  to  feel  distress  of  a  different 
kind  from  that  which  they  had  hitherto  been  accus- 
tomed to  suffer.  The  heat  of  the  sun  was  now  so 
powerful,  that  several  of  the  people  were  seized 
with  a  languor  and  faintness,  which  made  life  indif- 
ferent. But  the  litt^  circumstance  of  catching  two 
boobies  in  the  evening,  trifling  as  it  may  appear,  had 
the  effect  of  raising  their  spirits.  The  stomachs  of 
these  birds  contained  several  flying-fish,  and  small 
cuttle-fish,  all  of  which  were  carefully  saved  to  be 
divided  for  dinner  the  next  day;  which  were  ac- 
cordingly divided,  with  their  entrails  tnd  the  con- 
tents of  their  maws,  into  eighteen  portions,  and,  as 
the  prize  was  a  very  valuable  one,  it  was  distributed 
as  before, by  calling  out,  "  Who  shall  have  this?'''' — 
''SO  that  to-day,"  says  the  lieutenant,  "with  the 
usual  allowance  of  bread  at  breakfast  and  at  dinner, 
I  was  happy  to  see  that  every  person  thought  he 
had  feasted."  From  the  appearance  of  the  clouds 
in  the  evening,  Mr.  Bligh  had  no  doubt  they  were 
then  near  the  land,  and  theDeocle  amused  themselves 


THE    OPEN-BOAT  ^NAVIGATION.  105 

R'ith  conversing  on  the  probability  of  what  they 
would  meet  vvith  on  it. 

Accordingly,  at  one  in  the  morning  of  the  ^Sth, 
the  person  at  the  helm  heard  the  sound  of  breai^ers. 
It  was  the  "barrier  reef"  which  runs  along  the 
eastern  coast  of  New-Holland,  through  which  it 
now  became  the  anxious  object  to  discover  a  pas- 
sage ;  Mr.  Bligh  says  this  was  now  become  abso- 
Intely  necessary,  without  a  moment's  loss  of  time. 
The  idea  of  getting  into  smooth  water  and  finding 
refreshments  kept  up  the  people's  spirits.  The  sea 
broke  furiously  over  the  reef  in  every  part ;  within, 
the  water  was  so  smooth  and  calm  that  every  man 
already  anticipated  the  heartfelt  satisfaction  he  was 
about  to  receive,  as  soon  as  he  should  have  passed 
the  barrier.  At  length  a  break  in  the  reef  was  dis- 
covered, a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  width,  and  through 
this  the  boat  rapidly  passed  with  a  strong  stream 
running  to  the  westward,  and  came  immediately  into 
smooth  water,  and  all  the  past  hardships  seemed  at 
once  to  be  forgotten. 

They  now  returned  thanks  to  God  for  his  generous 
protection,  and  vvith  much  content  took  their  misera- 
ble allowance  of  the  twenty-fifth  part  of  a  pound  of 
bread  and  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  water  for  dinner. 

The  coast  now  began  to  show  itself  very  distinctly, 
and  in  the  evening  they  landed  on  the  sandy  point 
of  an  island,  when  it  was  soon  discovered  there  were 
oysters  on  the  rocks,  it  being  low  water.  The  party 
sent  out  to  reconnoitre  returned  highly  rejoiced  at 
having  found  plenty  of  oysters  and  fresh  water.  By 
help  of  a  small  magnifying  glass  a  fire  was  made, 
and  among  the  things  that  had  been  thrown  into  the 
boat  was  a  tind^rbox  and  a  piece  of  brimstone,  so 
ihat  in  future  they  had  the  ready  means  of  making  a 
fire.  One  of  the  men,  too,  had  been  so  provident  as 
to  bring  av^ay  with  him  from  the  ship  a  copper-pot; 
and  thus  with  a  mixture  of  oysters,  bread,  and  pork, 
a  stew  was  made,  of  which  each  person  received  a 


106  THE    OPEN-B(iAT    NAVIGATION. 

full  pint.  It  is  remarked  that  the  oysters  grew  so 
fast  to  the  rocks,  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
they  could  be  broken  off;  but  they  at  length  dis- 
covered it  to  be  the  most  expeditious  way  to  open 
them  where  they  were  fixed. 

The  general  complaints  among  the  people  were  a 
dizziness  in  the  head,  great  weakness  in  the  joints, 
and  violent  tenesmus,  but  none  of  them  are  stated 
to  have  been  alarming;  and  notwithstanding  their 
sufferings/rom  cold  and  hunger,  all  of  them  retained 
marks  of  strength.  Mr.  Bligh  had  cautioned  them 
not  to  touch  any  kind  of  berry  or  fruit  that  they 
might  find ;  yet  it  appears  they  were  no  sooner  out 
of  sight  than  they  began  to  make  free  with  three 
different  kinds  that  grew  all  over  the  island,  eating 
without  any  reserve.  The  symptoms  of  having  eaten 
too  much  began  at  last  to  frighten  some  of  them : 
they  fancied  they  were  all  poisoned,  and  regarded 
each  other  with  the  strongest  marks  of  apprehen- 
sion, uncertain  what  might  be  the  issue  of  their  im- 
prudence :  fortunately  the  fruit  proved  to  be  whole- 
some and  good. 

"  This  day  (29th  May)  being,"  says  Lieutenant 
Bhgh,  "  the  anniversary' of  the  restoration  of  King 
Charles  II.,  and  the  name  not  being  inapplicable  to 
our  present  situation  (for  we  were  restored  to  fresh 
life  and  strength),  I  named  this  'Restoration  Island;' 
for  I  thought  it  probable  that  Captain  Cook  mighl 
not  have  taken  notice  of  it." 

With  oysters  and  palm-tops  stewed  together  the 
people  now  made  excellent  meals,  without  con 
suming  any  of  their  bread.  In  the  morning  of  the 
30th  Mr.  Bligh  saw  with  great  delight  a  visible 
alteration  in  the  men  for  the  better,  and  he  sent  them 
away  to  gather  oysters,  in  order  to  carry  a  stock  of 
them  to  sea,  for  he  determined  to  put  off  again  that 
evening.  They  also  procured  fresh  water,  and  filled 
all  their  vessels  to  the  amount  of  nearly  sixty  gal- 
lons. On  examining  the  bread,  it  was  found  there 
still  remained  about  thirtv-oi^iht  days'  allowance.    . 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  107 

Being  now  ready  for  sea,  every  person  was  or- 
dered to  attend  prayers  ;  but  just  as  they  were  em- 
barking, about  twenty  naked  savages  made  their  ap- 
pearance, running  and  hallooing,  and  beckoning  the 
strangers  to  come  to  them ;  but  as  each  was  armed 
with  a  spear  or  lance,  it  was  thought  prudent  to 
hold  no  communication  with  them.  They  now  pro- 
ceeded to  the  northward,  having  the  continent  on 
>heir  left,  and  severayslands  and  reefs  on  their  right. 

On  the  3 1st  they  landed  on  one  of  these  islands, 
;o  which  was  given  the  name  of  "  Sunday."  "  I 
sent  out  two  parties,"  says  Bligh,  "  one  to  the  north- 
ward and  the  other  to  the  southward,  to  seek  for 
supplies,  and  others  I  ordered  to  stay  by  the  boat. 
On  this  occasion  fatigue  and  weakness  so  far  got  the 
better  of  their  sense  of  duty,  that  some  of  the  people 
expressed  their  discontent  at  havmg  worked  harder 
than  their  companions,  and  declared  that  they  would 
rather  be  without  their  dinner  than  go  in  search  of 
it.  One  person  in  particular  went  so  far  as  to  tell 
me  with  a  mutinous  look,  that  he  was  as  good  a  man 
as  myself.  It  was  not  possible  for  one  to  judge 
where  this  might  have  an  end,  if  not  stopped  in  time ; 
to  prevent,  therefore,  such  disputes  in  future,  I  deter- 
mined either  to  preserve  my  command  or  die  in  the 
attempt ;  and  seizing  a  cutlass,  I  ordered  him  to  lay 
hold  of  another  and  defend  himself;  on  which  he 
called  out  that  I  was  going  to  kill  him,  and  imme- 
diately made  concessions.  I  did  not  allow  this  to 
interfere  further  with  the  harmony  of  the  boat's 
crew,  and  every  thing  soon  became  quiet." 

On  this  island  they  obtained  oysters,  and  clams, 
and  dogfish ;  also  a  small  bean,  which  Nelson,  the 
botanist,  pronounced  to  be  a  species  of  dolichos.  On 
the  1st  of  June  they  stopped  in  the  midst  of  some 
sandy  islands,  such  as  are  known  by  the  name  of 
A:ey.9,  where  they  procured  a  few  clams  and  beans. 
Here  Nelson  was  taken  very  ill  with  a  violent  heat 
in  his  botvels,  a  loss  of  sight,  great  thirst,  and  an  in 


108  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

ability  to  walk.  A  little  wine,  which  had  carefully 
been  saved,  with  some  pieces  of  bread  soaked  in  it, 
was  given  to  him  in  small  quantities,  and  he  soon 
began  to  recover.  The  boatswain  and  carpenter 
were  also  ill,  and  complained  of  headache  and  sick- 
ness of  the  stomach.  Others  became  shockingly 
distressed  with  tenesmus ;  in  fact,  there  were  few 
without  complaints. 

A  party  was  sent  out  by  nj^ht  to  catch  birds ; 
they  returned  with  only  twelve  noddies,  but  it  is 
stated,  that  had  it  not  been  for  the  folly  and  o])sti- 
nacy  of  one  of  the  party,  who  separated  from  the 
others  and  disturbed  the  birds,  a  great  many  more 
might  have  been  taken.  The  offender  was  Robert 
Lamb,  who  acknowledged,  when  he  got  to  Java, 
that  he  had  that  night  eaten  nine  raw  birds,  after  he 
separated  from  his  two  companions.  The  birds, 
with  a  few  clams,  were  the  whole  of  the  supplies 
afforded  at  these  small  islands. 

On  the  3d  of  June,  after  passing  several  keys  and 
islands,  and  doubling  Cape  York,  the  north-eastern- 
most point  of  New-Holland,  at  eight  in  the  evening 
the  little  boat  and  her  brave  crew  once  more  launched 
into  the  open  ocean.  "  Miserable,"  says  Lieutenant 
Bligh,  "  as  ouv  situation  was  in  every  respect,  I  was 
secretly  surprised  to  see  that  it  did  not  appear  to 
affect  any  one  so  strongly  as  myself;  on  the  con- 
trary, it  seemed  as  if  they  had  embarked  on  a  voy- 
age to  Timor  in  a  vessel  sufficiently  calculated  for 
safety  and  convenience.  So  much  confidence  gave 
me  great  pleasure,  and  I  may  venture  to  assert  that 
to  this  cause  our  preservation  is  chiefl}''  to  be  attri- 
buted. I  encouraged  every  one  with  hopes  that 
eight  or  ten  days  would  bring  us  to  a  land  of  safety : 
and,  after  praying  to  God  for  a  continuance  oi  his 
most  gracious  protection,  I  served  out  an  allowance 
of  water  for  supper,  and  directed  our  course  to  the 
west-south-Avest. 

"  We  had  been  just  six  days  on  the  coast  of  New 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  109 

Holland,  in  the  course  of  which  we  found  oysters, 
a  few  clams,  some  birds,  and  water.  But  a  benefit 
probably  not  less  than  this  was  that  of  being  re- 
lieved from  the  fatigue  of  sitting  constantly  in  the 
boat,  and  enjoying  good  rest  at  night.  These  ad- 
vantages certainly  preserved  our  lives ;  and  small  as 
the  supply  was,  I  am  very  sensible  how  much  it  al- 
leviated our  distresses.  Before  this  time  nature  must 
have  sunk  under  the  extremes  of  hunger  and  fatigue. 
Even  in  our  present  situation,  we  were  most  de- 
plorable objects,  but  the  hopes  of  a  speedy  relief 
kept  up  our  spirits.  For  my  own  part,  incredible  as 
it  may  appear,  I  felt  neither  extreme  hunger  nor 
thirst.  My  allowance  contented  me,  knowing  that 
I  could  have  no  more."  In  his  manuscript  journal, 
he  adds,  "  This,  perhaps,  does  not  permit  me  to  be 
a  proper  judge  on  a  story  of  miserable  people  like  us 
being  at  last  driven  to  the  necessity  of  destroying 
one  another  for  food ;  but,  if  I  may  be  allowed,  I 
deny  the  fact  in  its  greatest  extent.  I  say,  I  do  not 
believe  that  among  us  such  a  thing  could  happen, 
but  death  through  famine  would  be  received  in  the 
same  way  as  any  mortal  disease."* 

On  the  5th  a  booby  was  caught  by  the  hand,  the 
blood  of  which  was  divided  among  three  of  the 
men  who  were  weakest,  and  the  bird  kept  for  next 
day's  dinner;  and  on  the  evening  of  the  Gth  the  al- 
lowance for  supper  was  recommenced,  according  to 
a  promise  made  when  it  had  been  discontinued. 
On  the  7th,  after  a  miserably  wet  and  cold  night, 
nothing  more  could  be  afforded  than  the  usual  al- 
lowance for  breakfast;  but  at  dinner  each  person 

*  If  Bliiih  here  meant  to  deny  the  fact  of  men  in  extreme  cases  de- 
stroying c;ich  other  for  the  sake  of  appeasin<r  hunger,  he  is  greatly  mis- 
taken. The  fact  was  but  too  well  established,  and  to  a  great  extent,  on 
the  raft  of  the  French  frigate  Meduse,  when  wrecked  on  the  coast  of 
Africa,  and  also  on  the  rock  in  the  Mediterranean,  when  the  Nautilus 
frigate  was  lost.  There  may  be  a  difference  between  men  in  danger  of 
perishing  by  famine  when  in  robust  health,  and  men  like  those  of  th' 
Bonntv.  worn  by  degrees  to  skeletons  by  protracted  famine,  who  tiutf 
thus  have  becoms  equally  ia(Meren»  to  life  o?  death 


110  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

had  the  luxury  of  an  ounce  of  dried  claras,  which 
consumed  all  that  remained.  The  sea  was  running 
high  and  breaking  over  the  boat  the  whole  of  this 
day.  Mr.  Ledward,  the  surgeon,  and  Lawrence  Le- 
bogue,  an  old  hardy  seaman,  appeared  to  be  giving 
way  very  fast.  No  other  assistance  could  be  given 
to  them  than  a  tea-spoonful  or  two  of  wine,  that  had 
been  carefully  saved  for  such  a  melancholy  occasion, 
which  was  not  at  all  unexpected. 

On  the  8th  the  weather  was  more  moderate,  and 
a  small  dolphin  was  caught,  which  gave  about  two 
ounces  to  each  man:  in  the  night  it  again  blew 
strong,  the  boat  shipped  much  water,  and  they  all 
suffered  greatly  from  wet  and  cold.  The  surgeon 
and  Lebogue  still  continued  very  ill,  and  the  only 
relief  that  could  be  afforded  them  was  a  small  quan- 
tity of  wine,  and  encouraging  them  with  the  hope 
that  a  very  few  days  more,  at  the  rate  they  were 
then  sailing,  would  bring  them  to  Timor. 

"  In  the  morning  of  the  10th,  after  a  very  comfort- 
less night,  there  was  a  visible  alteration  for  the 
worse,"  saj^s  Mr.  Bligh,  "  in  many  of  the  people, 
which  gave  me  great  apprehensions.  An  extreme 
weakness,  swelled  legs,  hollow  and  ghastly  counte- 
nances, a  more  than  common  inclination  to  sleep, 
with  an  apparent  debility  of  understanding,  seemed 
to  me  the  melancholy  presages  of  an  approaching 
dissolution.  The  surgeon  and  Lebogue,  in  particu- 
lar, were  most  miserable  objects.  I  occasionally 
gave  them  a  few  tea-spoonfuls  of  wine  out  of  the 
little  that  remained,  which  greatly  assisted  them. 
The  hopes  of  being  able  to  accomplish  the  voyage 
was  our  principal  support.  The  boatswain  very  in- 
nocently told  me  that  he  really  thought  I  looked 
worse  than  any  in  the  boat.  The  simplicity  with 
which  he  uttered  such  an  opinion  amused  me,  and  I 
returned  him  a  better  compliment." 

On  the  11th  Lieutenant  Bligh  announced  to  his 
wretched  companions  that  he  hsd  no  doubt  they  had 


THE    OPEN-BOAT   NAVIGATIOX.  Ill 

now  passed  tlie  meridian  of  the  eastern  part  of 
Timor,  a  piece  of  intelligence  that  diffused  universal 
joy  and  satisfaction.  Accordingly,  at  three  in  the 
morning  of  the  following  day  Timor  was  discovered 
at  the  distance  only  of.  two  leagues  from  the  shore. 

"  It  is  no-t  possible  for  me,"  says  this  experienced 
navigator,  "  to  describe  the  pleasure  which  the 
blessing  of  the  sight  of  this  land  diffused  among  us. 
It  appeared  scarcely  credible  to  ourselves,  that  in 
an  open  boat,  and  so  poorly  provided,  we  should 
have  been  able  to  reach  the  coast  of  Timor  in  forty- 
one  days  after  leaving  Tofoa,  having  in  that  time  run 
by  our  log  a  distance  of  three  thousand  six  hundred 
and  eighteen  nautical  miles  ;  and  that,  notvvithstand 
ing  our  extreme  distress,  no  one  should  have  perished 
in  the  voyage." 

On  Sunday  the  14th  they  came  safely  to  anchor  ii 
Coupang  Bay,  where  they  were  received  with  every 
mark  of  kindness,  hospitality,  and  humanity.  The 
houses  of  the  principal  people  were  thrown  open  for 
their  reception.  The  poor  sufferers  when  landed 
were  scarcely  able  to  walk ;  their  condition  is  de- 
scribed as  most  deplorable.  "  The  abilities  of  a 
painter  could  rarely,  perhaps,  have  been  displayed  to 
more  advantage  than  in  the  delineation  of  the  two 
groups  of  figures  which  at  this  time  presented  them- 
selves to  each  other.  An  indifferent  spectator,  if 
such  could  be  found,  would  have  been  at  a  loss  which 
most  to  admire,  the  eyes  of  famine  sparkUng  at  im- 
mediate relief,  or  the  horror  of  their  preservers  at 
the  sight  of  so  many  spectres,  whose  ghastly  counte- 
nances, if  the  cause  had  been  unknown,  would  rather 
have  excited  terror  than  pity.  Our  bodies  were 
nothing  but  skin  and  bones,  our  limbs  were  full  of 
sores,  and  we  were  clothed  in  rags ;  in  this  con- 
dition, with  the  tears  of  joy  and  gratitude  flowing 
down  our  cheeks,  the  people  of  Timor  beheld  us 
with  a  mixture  of  horror,  surprise,  and  pity. 

"  When,"  continues   the  commander,  "  I  reflect 


112  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

how  providentially  our  lives  were  saved  at  Tofoa, 
by  the  Indians  delaying  their  attack ;  and  that,  with 
scarcely  any  thing  to  support  life,  we  crossed  a  sea 
of  more  than  twelve  hundred  leagues,  without  shel- 
ter from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather ;  when  I 
reflect  that  in  an  open  boat,  with  so  much  stormy 
weather,  we  escaped  foundering,  that  not  any  of  us 
were  taken  off  by  disease,  that  we  had  the  great  good 
fortune  to  pass  the  unfriendly  natives  of  other  coun. 
tries  without  accident,  and  at  last  to  meet  with  the 
most  friendly  and  best  of  people  to  relieve  our  dis- 
tresses— I  say,  when  I  reflect  on  all  these  wonderful 
escapes,  the  remembrance  of  such  great  mercies 
enables  me  to  bear  with  resignation  and  cheerfulness 
the  failure  of  an  expedition,  the  success  of  which  I 
had  so  much  at  heart,  and  which  was  frustrated  at  a 
time  when  I  was  congratulating  myself  on  the  fairest 
prospect  of  being  able  to  complete  it  in  a  manner 
that  would  fully  have  answered  the  intention  of  his 
majesty  and  the  humane  promoters  of  so  benevo- 
lent a  plan." 

Having  recniited  their  strength  by  a  residence  of 
two  months  among  the  friendly  inhabitants  of  Cou- 
pang,  they  proceeded  to  the  westward  on  the  20th 
August  in  a  small  schooner,  which  was  purchased 
and  armed  for  the  purpose,  and  arrived  on  the  1st 
October  in  Batavia  Road,  where  Mr.  Bligh  embarked 
in  a  Dutch  packet,  and  was  landed  on  the  Isle  of 
Wight  on  the  14th  of  March,  1790.  The  rest  of  the 
people  had  passages  provided  for  them  in  ships  of 
the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  then  about  to  sail 
for  Europe.  All  of  them,  however,  did  not  survive 
to  reach  England.  Nelson,  the  botanist,  died  at 
Coupang;  Mr.  Elphinstone,  master's  mate,  Peter 
Linkletter  and  Thomas  Hall,  seamen,  died  at  Ba- 
tavia; Robert  Lamb,  seaman  (the  booby-eater),  died 
on  the  passage ;  and  Mr.  Ledward,  the  surgeon, 
was  left  behind,  and  not  afterward  heard  of.  These 
six,  with  John  Norton,  who  was  stoned  to  death,  left 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  113 

twelve  of  the  nineteen,  forced  by  the  mutineers  into 
the  launch,  to  survive  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of 
this  unparalleled  voyag-e,  and  to  revisit  their  native 
country.  With  great  truth  might  Bligh  exclaim  with 
the  poet, 

"  'Tis  mine  to  tell  their  tale  of  griff, 

Their  constant  peril  and  tiieir  scant  relief; 

Their  days  of  danger,  and  their  nij^hts  of  pain  ; 

Their  manly  courage,  e'en  when  deem'd  in  vain; 

The  sapping  famine,  rendering  scarce  a  son 

Known  to  his  mother  in  the  skeleton  ; 

The  ills  that  iessen'd  still  their  little  store. 

And  starved  e'en  hunger  till  he  wrung  no  more; 

The  varying  frowns  and  favours  of  the  deep, 

That  now  almost  ingulphs,  then  leaves  to  creep 

With  crazy  oar  and  shattered  strength  along 

The  tide,  that  yields  reluctint  to  the  strong; 

Th'  incessant  fever  of  that  arid  thirst 

Which  welcomes,  as  a  well,  the  clouds  that  bursl 

Above  their  naked  bones,  and  feels  delight 

In  the  cold  drenching  of  the  stormy  night. 

And  from  the  outspread  canvass  gladly  wrings 

A  drop  to  moisten  life's  all-gasping  springs  ; 

Th  •  savage  foe  escaped,  to  seek  again 

More  hospitable  shelter  from  the  main ; 

The  ghastly  spectres  which  were  doom'd  at  last 

To  tell  as  true  a  tale  of  dangers  past, 

As  ever  the  dark  annals  of  the  deep 

Disclosed  for  man  to  dread  or  woman  weep." 

It  is  impossible  not  fully  to  accord  with  Bligh 
when  he  s-ays,  "  Thus  happily  ended,  through  the 
assistance  of  Divine  Providence,  without  accident, 
a  voyage  of  the  most  extraordinary  nature  that  ever 
happened  in  the  world,*  let  it  be  taken  either  in  its 

*  The  escape  of  the  Centaur's  boat,  perhaps,  comes  nearest  to  it. 
When  the  Centaur  was  sinking,  Captain  Inglefield  and  eleven  others, 
in  a  small  leaky  boat,  five  feet  broad,  with  one  of  the  gunwales  stove, 
nearly  in  the  middle  of  the  Western  Ocean,  without  compass,  without 
quadrant,  without  sail,  without  great-coat  or  cloak  all  very  thinly 
clothed,  in  a  gale  of  wind,  with  a  great  sea  running,  and  the  winter  fast 
approaching,— the  sun  and  stars,  by  which  alone  they  could  shape  their 
course,  soirietimes  hidden  for  twenty-four  hours;— these  unhappy  men, 
m  this  destitute  and  hopeless  condition,  had  to  brave  the  billows  of  the 
Wormy  Atlantic  for  nearly  a  thousand  miles.  A  blanket,  which  was 
by  accident  in  the  boat,  served  as  a  sail,  and  with  this  they  scudded  be- 
fore the  wind,  in  expectation  of  being  swallowed  up  by  every  wave: 
with  great  difficulty  the  boat  was  cleared  of  wf.ter  before  the  retura  « 


114  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

extent,  duration,  or  the  want  of  every  necessary  of 
life."     We  may  go  further,  and  say  it  is  impossible 

the  next  great  sea;  all  of  the  people  were  half-drowned,  and  sitting, 
except  the  bailers,  at  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  On  quilting  the  ship  the 
tli.siance  of  Fayai  was  two  hundred  and  sixty  leagues,  or  about  nine 
lumrlred  English  miles. 

'J'h«;ir  jirovisions  were  a  bag  of  bread,  a  small  ham,  a  single  piece  of 
pork,  two  quart  bottles  of  waier,  and  a  few  of  French  cordials.  One 
biscuit,  divided  into  twelve  morsels,  was  served  for  breakfast,  and  the 
same  for  dinner ;  the  neck  of  a  bottle  broken  ofT,  with  the  cork  in,  sup- 
plied the  place  of  a  glass  ;  and  this  filled  with  water  was  the  allowance 
for  twenty-four  hours  for  each  man. 

On  the  fifteenth  day.  they  had  only  one  day's  brtad  and  one  bottle 
of  water"  remaming  of  a  second  supply  of  rain  :  on  this  day  Matthews,  a 
quarter-master,  ihe  stoutest  man  in  the  boat,  perishedof  hunger  and  cold. 
Tliis  poor  man,  on  the  day  before,  had  complained  of  want  of  strength 
in  his  throat,  as  he  expressed  it,  to  swallow  his  morsel;  and  in  the 
night  drank  salt-water,  grew  delirious,  and  died  without  a  groan. 
Hitherto  despair  and  gloom  had  been  successfully  prevented,  the  men, 
when  the  evenings  closed  in.  having  been  encouraged  by  turns  to  sing 
a  song,  or  relate  a  stor}-,  instead  of  a  supper  :  "  but,"  says  the  captain, 
"  this  evening  I  found  it  impossible  to  raise  either.''  The  captain  had 
directed  the  clothes  to  be  takpn  from  the  corpse  of  Matthews  and  given 
to  some  of  the  men  who  were  perishing  with  cold;  but  the  shocking 
skeleton-like  appearance  of  his  remains  made  such  an  impression  on  the 
people,  that  all  efforts  to  raise  their  si)irits  were  ineffectual.  On  the 
following  day,  the  sixteenth,  their  last  breakfist  was  served  with  the 
bread  and  water  remaining,  when  John  Gregory,  the  quarter-master, 
declared  with  much  confidence  that  he  saw  land  in  the  south-east, 
which  turned  out  to  be  Fayal. 

But  the  most  extraordmary  feat  of  navigatio7i  is  that  which  is  related 
(on  good  authority)  in  a  note  of  the  Quarterly  Revktv,  vol.  xviii.  p. 
337-339 :— 

Of  all  the  feats  of  navigation  on  record,  however,  that  of  Diogo  Bo- 
telho  Perreira,  in  the  early  period  of  1536  7,  stands  pre-eminent ;  it  is 
extracted  from  the  voluminous  Decades  of  Diogo  de  Couto,  whose  work, 
though  abounding  with  much  curious  matter,  like  those  of  mo.st  of  the 
old  Portuguese  writers,  has  not  been  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  an 
English  translation.  We  are  indebted  to  a  friend  for  pointing  it  out  to 
us,  and  we  conceive  it  will  be  read  with  interest. 

"  In  the  time  of  the  viceroyalty  of  Don  Francisco  de  Almeyda  there 
was  a  young  gentleman  in  India  of  thii  name  of  Diogo  Botelho  Perreira, 
son  of  the  commander  of  Cochin,  who  educated  him  with  great  care,  so 
that  he  soon  became  skilled  in  the  art  of  navigation,  and  an  adept  in  the 
construction  ot  marine  charts.  As  he  grew  up,  he  felt  anxious  to  visit 
Portugal,  where,  on  his  arrival,  he  was  well  received  at  court,  and  the 
Iting  took  pleasure  in  conversing  with  him  on  those  subjects  which  had 
been  the  particular  objects  of  his  studies.  Confident  of  his  own  talents, 
and  presuming  on  the  favour  with  which  the  king  always  treated  him, 
he  ventured  one  day  to  request  his  majesty  to  appoint  him  commander 
of  the  fortress  of  Chaul.  The  king  smiled  at  his  request,  and  replied, 
that  'the  command  of  the  fortress  was  not  for  pilots.'  Botelho  was 
piqued  at  this  answer,  and  on  returning  into  the  antechamber,  was 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  115 

to  read  this  extraordinary  and  unparalleled  voyage 
without  bestowing  the  meed  of  unqualified  praise  on 

met  by  Don  Antonio  Noronhfi,  second  son  of  the  Marquis  of  Villa  Real, 
who  asked  him  if  his  suit  had  been  granted  -.  he  answered,  "  .^ir.  I  will 
apply  where  my  suit  will  not  be  neglected."  When  this  answer  came 
to  the  ears  of  the  king,  he  immediately  ordered  Botelho  to  be  conSned 
in  the  castle  of  Lisbon,  lest  he  should  follow  the  example  of  jMegalhavns, 
and  !ro  over  to  Spain.  There  he  remained  a  prisoner  until  the  admiral- 
viceroy,  Don  Vasco  da  Gama,  solicited  his  release,  and  was  permitted 
to  take  him  to  India;  but  on  the  express  condition  that  he  should  not 
return  to  Portugal,  except  by  special  permission.  Under  these  un- 
pleasant circumstances  this  gentleman  proceeded  to  India,  anxious  for 
an  opporianity  of  distingnishiag  himself,  that  he  might  be  permitted 
again  to  visit  Portugal. 

"  It  happened  about  this  time  that  the  Snltan  Badur,  sovereign  of 
Cambaya,  gave  the  governor,  Nuno  da  Cunha,  permission  to  erect  a 
fortress  on  the  island  of  Diu,— an  object  long  and  anxiously  wished  for, 
as  being  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  security  of  the  Portu;juese 
possessions  in  India.  Botelho  was  aware  how  acceptable  this  intbrma 
iion  would  be  to  the  king,  and  therefore  deemed  this  a  fiivourable  opportu- 
nity of  regaining  his  lavour,  by  conveying  such  important  intelligence-, 
and  he  resolved  to  i)erform  the  voyage  in  a  vessel  so  small,  and  so  un- 
like what  had  ever  appeared  in  Portugal,  that  it  should  not  (ail  to  excite 
astonishment,  how  any  man  could  undertake  so  long  and  perilous  a 
navigation  in  such  a  frail  and  diminutive  bottom. 

"  Without  communicating  his  scheme  to  any  person,  he  procured  a 
fusta,  put  a  deck  on  it  from  head  to  stern,  furnished  it  with  spare  sail3 
and  spars,  and  every  other  necessary,  and  constructed  two  small  tanks 
Ibr  water. 

"  As  soon  as  the  monsoon  served,  he  embarked  with  some  men  in  hia 
service,  giving  out  that  he  was  going  to  Melinde ;  and  to  give  colour  to 
this  story,  he  proceeded  to  Baticala,  where  he  purchased  some  cloths 
and  beads  for  tliat  market,  and  laid  in  provisions ;  some  native  mer- 
chants also  embarked  with  a  few  articles  on  board  for  the  Melinde 
market,  to  which  he  did  not  choose  to  object,  Il-sI  it  should  alarm  his 
sailors. 

"  He  set  sail  with  the  eastern  monsoon,  in  the  beginning  of  October, 
and  arrived  safely  at  Melinde,  where  he  landv^d  the  native  merchants, 
took  in  wood,  water,  and  refreshments,  and  again  put  to  sea,  informing 
bis  crew  that  he  was  going  to  Quiloa.  When  he  had  got  to  a  distance 
from  the  land,  it  would  appear  that  some  of  his  crew  had  mutinied  ;  but 
this  he  h.ad  foreseen  and  provided  for;  putting  some  of  them  in  irons, 
and  promising  at  the  same  time  amply  to  reward  the  services  of  the  rest, 
and  giving  them  to  understand  that  he  .vas  going  to  Sofala  on  account 
of  the  trade  in  gold.  Thus  he  proceeded,  touching  at  various  places  for 
refreshments,  which  he  met  with  in  great  plenty  and  very  cheap. 

"  From  ^'ofala  he  proceeded  along  the  coast  till  he  had  passed  the 
Cabo  dos  Correntes,  and  from  thence  along  the  shore,  without  ever  ven- 
turing to  a  distance  from  the  land,  and  touching  at  the  diiferent  rivers, 
until  he  passed  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  which  he  did  in  January,  1537. 

-"From  thence  he  stretched  into  the  ocean  with  gentle  breezes,  steer- 
ing for  St.  Helena ;  where,  on  arriving,  he  drew  his  little  vessel  ashore, 
to  clean  her  bottom  and  repair  her,  and  also  to  give  a  few  days'  rest  to 


116  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAriGATlON. 

the  able  and  judicious  conduct  of  its  commander, 
who  is  in  every  respect,  as  far  as  this  extraordinary 
enterprise  is  concerned,  fully  entitled  to  rank  with 
Parry,  Franklin,  and  Richardson.  Few  men,  indeed, 
were  ever  placed  for  so  long  a  period  in  a  more  try- 
nig,  distressing,  and  perilous  situation  than  he  was: 
and  it  may  safely  be  pronounced,  that  to  his  discreet 
management  of  the  men  and  their  scanty  resources, 

his  crew,  of  whom  some  had  i>erished  of  cold,  notwithst-andiiig  his  hav- 
ing provided  warm  clothin]Er  for  tliem. 

"  Departing  from  St.  Helena,  he  boldly  steered  his  little  bark  across 
the  wide  ocean,  directing  his  career,  to  St.  Thoini,  where  he  took  i:i 
provisions,  wood,  and  water;  and  from  thence  he  proceeded  to  the  ba? 
ef  Lisbon,  where  he  arrived  in  May,  when  the  king  was  at  Almeyrin.— 
He  entered  the  river  with  his  oars,  his  little  vessel  beirig  dressed  with 
flags  and  pennants,  and  anchored  at  Point  Leira  opposite  to  Salvaterra, 
not  being  able  to  get  farther  tip  the  river.  This  novelty  produced  such 
a  sensation  in  Lisbon  that  the  Tagus  v.-as  covered  with  boats  to  see  the 
fusta.  Diogo  Boielho  Perreira  landed  in  a  boat,  and  proceeded  to  Al- 
meyrin, to  give  the  king  an  account  of  his  voyage,  and  solicit  a  gratifi- 
talion  for  the  good  news  which  he  brought,  of  his  majesty  now  being 
possessed  of  a  fortress  on  the  island  of  Diu. 

"  The  king  was  highly  pleased  with  this  intellig-ence,  bat,  as  Boteiho 
brought  no  letters  from  the  governor,  he  did  not  give  him  the  kind  of  re- 
.^eption  which  he  had  expected.  On  the  contrary,  the  king  treated  him 
with  coldness  and  distance  ;  his  majesty,  however,  embarked  to  see 
the  fusta,  on  board  of  which  he  examined  every  thing  with  much 
attention,  and  was  gratified  in  viewing  a  vessel  of  such  a  peculiar  form, 
fcnd  ordered  money  and  clothes  to  be  given  to  the  sailors— nor  coald  he 
help  considering  Diogo  Boteiho  as  a  man  of  extraordinary  enterprise 
and  courage,  on  Avhose  firmness  implicit  reliance  might  be  placed. 

"  The  little  vessel  was  ordered  to  be  drawn  ashore  at  Sacahem,  where 
it  remained  many  years  (until  it  fell  to  pieces),  and  was  visited  by  peo- 
ple from  all  parts  of  Earop^?,  who  beheld  it  with  astonishment.  The 
king  subsequently  received  letters  .'"rom  the  governor  of  Nuns  da  Cunha,. 
confirming  the  news  brought  by  Boteiho  ;  the  bearer  of  these  letters,  a 
Jew,  was  immediately  rewarded  with  a  pension  of  a  hundred  and  forty 
milreas  ;  but  Boteiho  was  neglected  for  many  years,  and  at  last  ap- 
pointed commander  of  St.  Thorn*,  and  finally  made  captain  of  Cananor 
in  India,  that  he  might  bf  at  a  distance  from  Portagal." 

The  vessel  named  fusta  is  a  long,  shallow,  Indian-bailt  raw-boat, 
which  uses  latine  sails  in  fine  weather.  These  boats  are  usually  open, 
but  Hotel  ho  covered  his  with  a  deck  :  its  dimensions,  according  to  La- 
vanda,  .»  his  edition  of  De  Barros's  unfinished  Decade,  are  as  follows  : 
—length  twenty-two  palmos,  or  sixteen  feet  six  inc!  es ;  breadth,, 
twelve  palmos,  or  nine  feet ;  depth,  six  palmos,  or  foar  feet  six  inches, 
Bligh's  boat  was  twenty-three  feet  long,  six  feet  n?ne  inches  broad,  and 
two  feet  nine  inches  deep.  From  the  circumstance  mention*^!  "  «ome 
9f  ids  crew  having  j)erished  with  cold,  it  is  probable  that  they  wtre 
natives  of  India,  whom  the'  Portuguese  iseEe  in  tha  habit  of  beingixig 
'-^rfiQ  as  part  ef  their  ciew. 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  117 

and  to  his  ability  as  a  thorough  seaman,  eighteen 
souls  were  saved  from  imminent  and  otherwise  in- 
evitable destruction.  It  was  not  alone  the  dangers 
of  the  sea,  in  an  open  boat,  crowded  with  people, 
that  he  had  to  combat,  though  they  required  the  most 
consummate  nautical  skill  to  be  enabled  to  contend 
successfully  against  them  ;  but  the  unfortunate  situa- 
tion to  which  the  party  were  exposed  rendered  him 
subject  to  the  almost  daily  murmuring  and  caprice 
of  people  less  conscious  than  himself  of  their  real 
danger.  From  the  experience  they  had  acquired  at 
Tofoa  of  the  savage  disposition  of  the  people  against 
the  defenceless  boat's  crew,  a  lesson  was  learned 
how  little  was  to  be  trusted  even  to  the  mildest  of 
uncivilized  people  when  a  conscious  superiority 
was  in  their  hands.  A  striking  proof  of  this  was 
experienced  in  the  unprovoked  attack  made  by  those 
amiable  people  the  Otaheitans  on  Captain  Wallis's 
ship,  of  whose  power  they  had  formed  no  just  con- 
ception ;  but  having  once  experienced  the  full  force 
of  it,  on  no  future  occasion  was  any  attempt  made 
to  repeat  the  attack.  Lieutenant  Bligh,  fully  aware 
of  his  own  weakness,  deemed  it  expedient,  there- 
fore, to  resist  all  desires  and  temptations  to  land 
at  any  of  those  islands  among  which  they  passed 
in  the  course  of  the  voyage,  well  knowing  how  little 
could  be  trusted  to  the  forbearance  of  savages,  un- 
armed and  "wholly  defenceless  as  his  parly  were. 

But  the  circumstance  of  being  tantalized  with  the 
appearance  of  land,  clothed  with  perennial  verdure, 
whose  approach  was  forbidden  to  men  chilled  with 
wet  and  cold,  and  nearly  perishing  with  hunger,  was 
by  no  means  the  most  difficult  against  which  the 
commander  had  to  struggle.  "  It  was  not  the  least 
of  my  distresses,"  he  observes,  "  to  be  constantly 
assailed  with  the  melancholy  demands  of  my  people 
for  an  increase  of  allowance,  which  it  grieved  me 
to  refuse."  He  well  knew  that  to  reason  with  men 
reduced  to  the  last  stage  of  famine,  yet  denied  the 


118  THK    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

use  of  provisions  within  their  reach,  and  with  the 
power  to  seize  upon  them  in  their  own  hands,  would 
be  to  no  purpose.  Something  more  must  be  done 
to  ensure  even  the  possibihty  of  saving-  them  from 
the  effect  of  their  own  imprudence.  The  first  thing 
he  set  about,  therefore,  was  to  ascertain  the  exact 
state  of  their  provisions,  which  were  found  to 
amount  to  the  ordinal y  consumption  of  five  days, 
but  which  were  to  be  spun  out  so  as  to  last  fifty 
days.  This  was  at  once  distinctly  stated  to  the 
men,  and  an  agreement  entered  into,  and  a  solemn 
promise  made  by  all,  tliat  the  settled  allowance 
should  never  be  deviated  from,  as  they  were  made 
clearly  to  understand  that  on  the  strict  observance 
of  this  agreement  rested  the  only  hope  of  their 
safety ;  and  this  was  explained  and  made  so  evident 
to  every  man,  at  the  time  it  was  concluded,  that 
they  unanimously  agreed  to  it;  and  by  reminding 
them  of  this  compact,  whenever  they  became  clam- 
orous for  more,  and  showing  a  firm  determination 
not  to  swerve  from  it,  Lieutenant  Bligh  succeeded 
in  resisting  all  their  solicitations. 

This  rigid  adherence  to  the  compact,  in  doling 
out  their  miserable  pittance, — the  constant  exposure 
to  wet, — the  imminent  peril  of  being  swallowed  up 
by  the  ocean, — their  cramped  and  confined  position, 
— and  the  unceasing  reflection  on  their  miserable 
and  melancholy  situation ; — all  these  difliculties  and 
sufferings  made  it  not  less  than  miraculous  that  this 
voyage,  itself  a  miracle,  should  have  been  com- 
pleted, not  only  without  the  loss  .of  a  man  from 
sickness,  but  with  so  little  loss  of  health.  "  With 
respect  to  the  preservation  of  our  health,"  says  the 
commander,  "during  the  course  of  sixteen  days  of 
heavy  and  almost  continual  rain,  I  would  recommend 
to  every  one  in  a  similar  situation  the  method  we 
practised  of  dipping  their  clothes  in  salt  water,  and 
to  wring  them  out,  as  often  as  they  become  soaked 
with  vain ;  it  was  the  only  resource  we  h-.id^  and  ] 


THr-    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  119 

believe  was  of  the  greatest  service  to  us,  for  it  felt 
more  like  a  change  of  dry  clothes  than  could  well 
be  imagined.  We  had  occasion  to  do  this  so 
often,  that  at  length  all  our  clothes  were  wrung  to 
pieces." 

But  the  great  art  of  all  was  to  divert  their  atten- 
tion from  the  almost  hopeless  situation  in  which 
they  were  placed,  and  to  prevent  despondency  from 
taking  possession  of  theii;  minds ;  and  in  order  to 
assist  in  effecting  this,  some  employment  was  de- 
vised for  them  ;  among  other  things,  a  log-line,  an 
object  of  interest  to  all,  was  measured  and  marked, 
and  the  men  were  practised  in  counting  seconds 
correctly,  that  the  distance  run  on  each  day  might 
be  ascertained  with  a  nearer  approach  to  accuracy 
than  by  mere  guessing.  These  little  operations 
afforded  them  a  temporary  amusement;  and  the  log, 
being  daily  and  hourly  hove,  gave  them  also  some 
employment,  and  diverted  their  thoughts  for  the 
moment  from  their  melancholy  situation.  Then, 
every  noon,  when  the  sun  was  out,  or  at  other  times 
before  and  after  noon,  and  also  at  night  when  the 
stars  appeared.  Lieutenant  Bligh  never  neglected  to 
take  observations  for  the  latitude,  and  to  work  the 
day's  work  for  ascertaining  the  ship's  place.  The 
anxiety  of  the  people  to  hear  how  they  had  pro- 
ceeded, what  progress  had  been  made,  and  where- 
abouts they  were  on  the  wide  ocean,  also  contributed 
for  the  time  to  drive  away  gloomy  thoughts  that  but 
too  frequently  would  intrude  themselves.  These 
observations  were  rigidly  attended  to,  and  sometimes 
made  under  the  most  difficult  circumstances,  the  sea 
breaking  over  the  observer,  and  the  boat  pitching 
and  rolling  so  nmch,  that  he  was  obliged  to  be 
"propped  up,"  while  taking  them.  In  this  way, 
with  now  and  then  a  little  interrupted  sleep,  about 
a  thousand  long  and  anxious  hours  were  consumed 
in  pain  and  peril,  and  a  space  of  sea  passed  over 
equal  to  four  thousand  five  hundred  miles,  being  at 


120  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

the  rate  of  four  and  one-fifth  miles  an  houi,  or  one 
hundred  miles  a  day. 

Lieutenant  Bligh  has  expressed  his  conviction, 
that  the  six  days  spent  among  the  coral  islands  off 
the  coast  of  New-Holland,  were  the  salvation  of  the 
whole  party,  by  the  refreshing  sleep  they  here  pro- 
cured, by  the  exercise  of  walking  about,  and,  above 
all,  by  the  nutriment  derived  from  the  oysters  and 
clams,  the  beans  and  berries  they  procured  while 
there ;  for  that  such,  he  says,  was  the  exhausted 
condition  of  all  on  their  arrival  at  the  "  barrier  reef," 
that  a  few  days  more  at  sea  must  have  terminated 
the  existence  of  many  of  them.  This  stoppage, 
however,  had  lii^ewise  been  nearly  productive  of 
fatal  consequences  to  the  whole  party.  In  fact, 
another  mutiny  was  within  an  ace  of  breaking  out, 
which,  if  not  checked  at  the  moment,  could  only,  in 
their  desperate  situation,  liave  ended  in  irretrievable 
and  total  destruction.  Bligh  mentions,  in  his  printed 
narrative,  the  mutinous  conduct  of  a  person  to  whom 
he  gave  a  cutlass  to  defend  himself.  This  affair,  as 
stated  in  his  original  manuscript  journal,  wears  a  far 
more  serious  aspect. 

"  The  carpenter  (Purcell)  began  to  be  msolent  to  • 
a  high  degree,  and  at  last  told  me,  with  a  mutinous 
aspect,  he  was  as  good  a  man  as  1  was.  I  did  not 
just  now  see  where  this  was  to  end ;  1  therefore  de- 
termined to  strike  a  final  blow  at  it,  and  either  to 
preserve  my  command  or  die  in  the  attempt ;  and 
taking  hold  of  a  cutlass,  I  ordered  the  rascal  to  take 
hold  of  another  and  defend  himself,  when  he  called 
out  that  I  was  going  to  kill  him,  and  began  to  make 
concessions.  I  was  now  only  assisted  by  Mr.  Nel- 
son ;  and  the  master  (Fryer)  very  deliberately  called 
out  to  the  boatswain  to  put  me  under  an  arrest,  and 
was  stirring  up  a  greater  disturbance,  when  I  de- 
clared, if  he  interfered  when  I  was  in  the  execution 
of  my  duty  to  preserve  order  and  regularit}^  and 
that  in  consequence  any  tumult  arose,  I  would  cer- 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  12) 

tainly  put  him  to  death  the  first  person.  This  had  a 
proper  effect  on  this  man,  and  he  now  assured  ma 
that,  on  the  contrary,  I  might  rely  on  him  to  support 
my  orders  and  directions  for  the  future.  This  is  the 
.  outUne  of  a  tumult  that  lasted  ahout  a  quarter  of  an 
hour;"  and  he  adds,  "  I  was  told  that  the  master  and 
carpenter,  at  the  last  place,  were  endeavouring-  to 
produce  altercations,  and  were  the  principal  cause 
of  their  murmuring  there."  This  carpenter  he 
brought  to  a  court-martial  on  their  arrival  in  England, 
on  various  charges,  of  which  he  was  found  guilty  in 
part,  and  reprimanded.  Purcell  is  said  to  be  at  this 
time  in  a  madhouse. 

On  another  occasion,  when  a  stew  of  oysters  was 
distributed  among  the  people.  Lieutenant  Bligh  ob- 
serves (in  the  MS.  journal),  "  In  the  distribution  of 
it,  the  voraciousness  of  some  and  the  moderation 
of  others  were  very  discernible.  The  master  began 
to  be  dissatisfied  the  first,  because  it  vvas  not  made 
into  a  larger  quantity  by  the  addition  of  water,  and 
showed  a  turbulent  disposition,  until  I  laid  my  com- 
mands on  him  to  be  silent."  Again,  on  his  refusing 
biead  to  the  men  because  they  were  collecting 
pysters,  he  says,  "  This  occasioned  some  murmuring 
with  the  master  and  carpenter,  the  former  of  whom 
endeavoured  to  prove  the  propriety  of  such  an  ex- 
penditure, and  was  troublesomely  ignorant,  tending 
to  create  disorder  among  those,  if  any  were  weak 
enough  to  listen  to  him." 

If  what  Bligh  states  with  regard  to  the  conduct  of 
the  master  and  the  carpenter  be  true,  it  was  such,  on 
several  occasions,  as  to  provoke  a  man  much  less 
irritable  than  himself.  He  thus  speaks  of  the  latter, 
when  in  the  ship  and  in  the  midst  of  the  mutiny. 
"The  boatswain  and  carpenter  were  fully  nt  liberty; 
the  former  was  employed,  on  pain  of  death,  to  hoist 
the  boats  out,  but  the  latter  I  saw  acting  the  part  of 
an  idler,  with  an  impudent  and  ill-looking  counte- 
nance, which  led  me  to  believe  he  was  one  of  the 


122  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

mutineers,  until  he  was  among-  the  rest  ordered  to 
leave  the  ship,  for  it  appeared  to  me  to  be  a  doubt 
with  Christian,  at  first,  whether  he  should  keep  th3 
carpenter  or  his  mate  (Norman),  but  knowing  the 
former  to  be  a  troublesome  fellow,  he  determined  on 
the  latter." 

The  following-  paragraph  also  appears  in  his  ori- 
ginal journal,  on  the  day  of  the  mutiny,  but  is  not 
alluded  to  in  his  printed  narrative.  "  The  master's 
cabin  was  opposite  to  mine  ;  he  saw  them  (the  mu- 
tineers) in  my  cabin,  for  our  eyes  met  each  other 
through  his  door-window.  He  had  a  pair  of  ship's 
pistols  loaded,  and  ammunition  in  his  cabin — a  firm 
resolution  might  have  made  a  good  use  of  them. 
After  he  had  sent  twice  or  thrice  to  Christian  to  be 
allowed  to  come  on  deck,  he  was  at  last  permitted, 
and  his  question  then  was,  'Will  you  let  aie  remain 
in  the  ship  V — '  No.' — '  Have  you  any  objection, 
Captain  Bligh  V  I  whispered  to  him  to  knock  him 
down — Martin  is  good  (this  is  the  man  who  gave 
the  shaddock),  for  this  was  just  before  Martin  was 
removed  from  me.  Christian,  however,  pulled  me 
back,  and  sent  away  the  master,  with  orders  to  go 
again  to  his  cabin,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  him  until 
he  was  put  into  the  boat.  He  afterward  told  me 
that  he  could  find  nobody  to  act  with  him;  that 
by  staying  in  the  ship  he  hoped  to  have  retaken 
her,  and  that,  as  to  the  pistols,  he  was  so  flurried 
and  surprised,  that  he  did  not  recollect  he  had 
them."  This  master  tells  a  very  different  story 
respecting  the  pistols,  in  his  evidence  before  the 
court-martial. 

Whatever,  therefore,  on  the  whole,  may  have  been 
the  conduct  of  Bligh  towards  his  officers,  that  of 
some  of  the  latter  appears  to  have  been  on  several 
occasions  provoking  enough,  and  well  calculated  to 
stir  up  the  irascible  temper  of  a  man  active  and 
zealous  in  the  extreme,  as  Bhgh  always  was,  in  the 
execution  of  his  duty.     Some  excuse  may  be  found 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NATIGATION.  123 

for  hasty  expressions  uttered  in  a  moment  of  irri- 
tation, when  passion  gets  the  better  of  reason  ;  hut 
no  excuse  can  be  found  for  one  who  deeply  and 
unfeeUngly,  without  provocation,  and  in  cold  blood, 
inflicts  a  wound  on  the  heart  of  a  widowed  mother, 
already  torn  with  anguish  and  tortured  with  sus- 
pense for  a  beloved  son  whose  life  was  in  imminent 
jeopardy:  such  a  man  was  William  Bligh.  This 
charge  is  not  loosely  asserted  ;  it  is  founded  on 
documentary  evidence  under  his  own  hand.  Since 
the  death  of  the  late  Captain  Hey  wood,  some  papers 
have  been  brought  to  hght  that  throw  a  still  more 
unfavourable  stigma  on  the  character  of  the  two 
commanders,  Bligh  and  Edwards,  than  any  censure 
that  has  hitherto  appeared  in  print,  though  the  con- 
duct of  neither  of  them  has  been  spared,  whenever 
an  occasion  has  presented  itself  for  bringing  the^r 
names  before  the  public. 

Bligh,  it  maybe  recollected,  mentions  young  Hey- 
wood  only  as  one  of  those  left  in  the  ship;  he  does 
not  charge  him  with  taking  any  active  part  in  the 
mutiny ;  there  is  every  reason,  indeed,  to  believe 
that  Bligh  did  not,  and  indeed  could  not,  see  him  on 
the  deck  on  that  occasion :  in  point  of  fact,  he  never 
was  within  thirty  feet  of  Captain  Bhgh,  and  the 
booms  were  between  them.  About  the  end  of 
March,  IT'^O,  two  months  subsequent  to  the  death 
of  a  most  beloved  and  lamented  husband,  Mrs.  Hey- 
wood  received  the  afflicting  information,  but  by 
report  only,  of  a  mutiny  having  taken  place  on  board 
the  Bounty.  In  tliat  ship  Mrs.  Heywood's  son  had 
been  serving  as  midshipman,  who,  when  he  left  his 
home,  in  August,  1787,  was  under  fifteen  years  of 
age,  a  boy  deservedly  admired  and  beloved  by  all 
who  knew  him,  and  to  his  own  family  almost  an 
object  of  adoration,  for  his  superior  understanding 
and  the  amiable  qualities  of  his  disposition.  In  a 
state  of  mind  little  short  of  distraction,  on  hearing 
tjjjs  f^tal  intelligence,  which  was  at  the  same  tinie 


124  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

a^STJivaled  by  every  circumstance  of  guilt  that 
calumny  or  malice  could  invent  with  respect  to  this 
unl'-jrtunate  youth,  who  was  said  to  be  one  of  the 
ringleaders,  and  to  have  gone  armed  into  the  cap- 
tain's cabin,  his  mother  addressed  a  letter  to  Captain 
Bligh,  dictated  by  a  mother's  tenderness,  and  strongly 
expressive  of  the  misery  she  must  necessarily  feel 
on  such  an  occasion.  The  following  is  Bligh's 
reply  :— 

«  London,  April  2d,  1790. 
"  Madam, 
"  I  received  your  letter  this  day,  and  feel  for  you 
very  much,  being  pe^rfectly  sensible  of  the  extreme 
distress  you  must  suffer  from  the  conduct  of  youi 
son  Peter.  His  baseness  is  beyond  all  description  ;  but 
I  hope  you  will  endeavour  to  prevent  the  loss  of  him, 
heavy  as  the  misfortune  is,  from  afflicting  you  too 
severely.  I  imagine  he  is,  with  the  rest  of  the  mu- 
tineers, returned  to  Otaheite.     I  am,  madam, 

(Signed)  "  Wm.  Bligh." 

Colonel  Holwell,  the  uncle  of  young  Heywood, 
had  previously  addressed  Bligh  on  the  same  melan- 
choly subject,  to  whom  he  returned  the  following 
answer ; — 

«  26th  March,  1790. 
"Sir, 
"I  have  just  this  instant  received  your  letter. 
With  much  concern  I  inform  you  that  your  nephew% 
Peter  Heywood,  is  among  the  mutineers.  His  in- 
gratitude  to  me  is  of  the  blackest  die,  for  1  was  a  father 
to  him  in  every  respect,  and  he  never  once  had  an 
angry  word  from  me  through  the  whole  course  of 
the  voyage,  as  his  conduct  always  gave  me  much 
pleasure  and  satisfaction.  I  very  much  regret  that  so 
much  baseness  formed  the  character  of  a  young  man  I  had 
a  real  regrard  for,  and  it  will  give  me  much  pleasure 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  125 

to  hear  that  his  friends  can  bear  the  loss  of  him  with- 
out much  concern.     I  am,  sir,  &c. 

(Signed)  "Wm.  Bligh." 

The  only  way  of  accounting  for  this  ferocity  of 
sentiment  towards  a  youth  who  had  in  point  of  fact 
no  concern  in  the  mutiny,  is  by  a  reference  to  cer- 
tain points  of  evidence  given  by  Hayward,  Hallet, 
and  Purcell  on  the  court-martial,  each  point  wholly 
unsupported.  Those  in  the  boat  would  no  doubt 
during  their  long  passage,  often  discuss  the  conduct 
of  their  messmates  left  in  the  Bounty,  and  the  unsup- 
ported evidence  given  by  these  three  was  well  cal- 
culated to  create  in  Bligh's  mind  a  prejudice  against 
young  Heywood ;  yet,  if  so,  it  affords  but  a  poor 
excuse  for  harrowing  up  the  feelings  of  near  and 
dear  relatives. 

As  a  contrast  to  these  ungracious  letters,  it  is  a 
great  relief  to  peruse  the  correspondence  that  took 
place,  on  this  melancholy  occasion,  between  this 
unfortunate  young  officer  and  his  amiable  but  dread- 
fully afflicted  family.  The  letters  of  his  sister  Nessy 
Heywood  (of  which  a  few  will  be  inserted  in  the 
course  of  this  narrative)  exhibit  so  lively  and  ardent 
an  affection  for  her  beloved  brother,  are  couched  in 
so  high  a  tone  of  feeling  for  his  honour  and  confi- 
dence in  his  innocence,  and  are  so  nobly  answered 
by  the  suffering  youth,  that  no  apology  seems  to  be 
required  for  their  introduction,  more  especially  as 
their  contents  are  strictly  connected  with  the  story 
of  the  ill-fated  crew  of  the  Bounty.  After  a  state  of 
long  suspense,  this  amiable  and  accomplished  young 
lady  thus  addresses  her  brother : — 

"  Me  of  Man,  2d  June,  1792. 

"  In  a  situation  of  mind  only  rendered  supportable 

by  the  long  and  painful  state  of  misery  and  suspense 

we  have  suffered  on  his  account,  how  shall  I  address 

my  dear,  my  fondly  beloved  brother ! — how  describe 

K 


126  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

the  anguish  we  have  felt  at  the  idea  of  this  long  and 
painful  separation,  rendered  still  more  distressing 
by  the  terrible  circumstances  attending  it !  Oh ! 
my  ever  dearest  boy,  when  I  lock  back  to  that  dread- 
ful moment  which  brought  us  the  fatal  intelligence 
that  you  had  remained  in  the  County  after  Mr.  Bligh 
had  quitted  her,  and  were  looked  upon  by  him  as  a 
mutineer! — when  I  contrast  that  day  of  horror  Mith 
my  present  hopes  of  again  beholding  you,  such  as 
my  most  sanguine  wishes  could  expect,  I  know  not 
which  is  the  most  predominant  sensation, — pity, 
compassion,  and  terror  for  your  sufferings,  or  joy 
and  satisfaction  at  the  prospect  of  their  being  near  a 
termination,  and  of  once  more  embracing  the  dearest 
object  of  our  affections. 

"  I  will  not  ask  you,  my  beloved  brother,  whether 
you  are  innocent  of  the  dreadful  crime  of  mutiny; 
if  the  transactions  of  that  day  were  as  Mr.  Bligh  has 
represented  them,  such  is  my  conviction  of  your 
worth  and  honour  that  I  will,  without  hesitation, 
stake  my  hfe  on  your  innocence.  If,  on  the  con- 
trary, you  were  concerned  in  such  a  conspiracy 
against  your  commander,  I  shall  be  as  firmly  per- 
suaded his  conduct  was  the  occasion  of  it ;  but,  alas ! 
could  any  occasion  justify  so  atrocious  an  attempt 
to  destroy  a  number  of  our  fellow-creatures  1  No, 
my  ever  dearest  brother,  nothing  but  conviction 
from  your  own  mouth  can  possibly  persuade  me  that 
you  would  commit  an  action  in  the  smallest  degree 
inconsistent  with  honour  and  duty ;  and  the  circum- 
stance of  your  having  swam  off'  to  the  Pandora  on 
her  arrival  at  Otaheite  (which  filled  us  with  joy  to 
which  no  words  can  do  justice),  is  sufficient  to 
convince  all  who  know  you,  that  you  certainly 
staid  behind  either  by  force  or  from  views  of  pre- 
servation. 

"How  strange  does  it  seem  to  me  that  I  am  now 
engaged  in  the  delightful  task  of  writing  to  you. 
A-ias !  my  beloved  brother,  two  years  ago  I  never 


THE    OPEX-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  127 

expected  again  to  enjoy  such  a  felicity,  and  even 
yet  I  am  in  the  most  painful  uncertainty  whether 
you  are  alive.  Gracious  God,  grant  that  we  may 
be  at  length  blessed  by  your  return !  but,  alas  !  the 
Pandora's  people  have' been  long  expected,  and  are 
not  even  yet  arrived.  Should  any  accident  have 
happened,  after  all  the  miseries  you  have  already 
suffered,  the  poor  gleam  of  hope  with  which  we  have 
been  lately  indulged  will  render  our  situation  ten 
thousand  times  more  insupportable  than  if  time  had 
inured  us  to  your  loss.  1  send  this  to  the  care  of 
Mr.  Hay  ward,  of  Hackney,  father  to  the  young  gen- 
tleman you  so  often  mention  in  your  letters  while 
you  were  on  board  the  Bounty,  and  who  w^ent  out 
as  third  lieutenant  of  the  Pandora — a  circumstance 
which  gave  us  infinite  satisfaction,  as  you  would, 
on  entering  the  Pandora,  meet  your  old  friend.  On 
discovering  old  Mr.  Hayvvard's  residence,  I  wrote  to 
him,  as  I  hoped  he  could  give  me  some  information 
respecting  the  time  of  your  arrival,  and  in  return  he 
sent  me  a  most  friendly  letter,  and  has  promised  this 
shall  be  given  to  you  when  you  reach  England,  as  I 
well  know  how  great  must  be  your  anxiety  to  hear 
of  us,  and  how  much  satisfaction  it  will  give  you  to 
have  a  letter  immediately  on  your  return.  Let  me 
conjure  you,  my  dearest  Peter,  to  w^ite  to  us  the 
very  first  moment — do  not  lose  a  post — 'tis  of  no 
consequence  how  short  your  letter  may  be,  if  it  only 
informs  us  you  are  well.  I  need  not  tell  you  that 
you  are  the  first  and  dearest  object  of  our  afiections. 
Think,  then,  my  adored  boy,  of  the  anxiety  we  must 
feel  on  your  account;  for  my  own  part,  I  can  know 
no  real  joy  or  happiness  independent  of  you,  and  if 
any  misfortune  should  now  deprive  us  of  you,  my 
hope^  of  fehcity  are  fled  for  ever. 

"  We  are  at  present  making  all  possible  interest 
with  every  friend  and  connexion  we  have,  to  ensure 
you  a  sufficient  support  and  protection  at  your  ap- 
p» caching  trial;  for  a  trial  you  must  unavoidably 


l28  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

undergo,  in  order  to  convince  the  M^orld  of  fhat  inno- 
cence which  those  who  know  you  will  not  for  a  mo- 
ment doubt;  but,  alas!  while  circumstances  are 
against  j^ou,  the  generality  of  mankind  will  judge 
severely.  Bligh's  representations  to  the  Admiralty 
are,  I  am  told,  very  unfavourable ;  and  hitherto  the 
tide  of  public  opinion  has  been  greatly  in  his  favour 
My  mamma  is  at  present  well,  considering  the  distress 
she  has  suffered  since  you  left  us;  for,  my  dearest 
brother,  we  have  experienced  a  complicated  scene 
of  misery  from  a  variety  of  causes,  which,  however, 
when  compared  with  the  sorrow  we  felt  on  your 
account,  was  trifling  and  insignificant;  that  misfor- 
tune made  all  others  Hght,  :md  to  see  you  once  more 
returned  and  safely  restored  to  us  will  be  the  sum- 
mit of  all  earthly  happiness. 

"  Farewell,  my  most  beloved  brother  !  God  gi  ant 
this  may  soon  be  put  into  your  hands  !  Perhaps  at 
this  moment  you  are  arrived  in  England,  and  I  ma) 
soon  have  the  dear  delight  of  again  beholding  you 
My  mamma,  brothers,  andsistersjoinwithme  ineVeri 
sentiment  of  love  and  tenderness.  Write  to  lil 
immediately,  my  ever-loved  Peter,  and  may  thfi 
Almighty  preserve  you  until  you  bless  with  youi 
presence  your  fondly  affectionate  family,  and  pa/- 
ticularly  your  unalterably  faithful  friend  and  siste  /, 
(Signed)  "  Nessy  Heywood."'' 

*  Previous  to  the  writing  of  this  letter,  the  following  copy  of-  rsej 
shows  how  anxiously  this  young  lady's  nnind  was  engaged  f  >  the 
unhappy  circumstances  under  which  her  brother  was  placed 

«'Onthe  tedious  and  ihournful  absence  of  a  most  beloved  brc  riiKn, 
who  was  in  the  Bounty  with  Captain  Bi.ioh  at  the  time  of  the  fatal 
MUTINY  which  happened  April  28th,  1789,  in  the  South  Seas,  and  who, 
instead  of  returning  with  the  boat  wlien  she  left  the  ship,  staid 
behind. 

"  Tell  me,  thou  busy  flatt'ring  telltale,  why- 
Why  flow  these  tears— why  heaves  this  deep-felt  sigh, — 
Why  IS  all  joy  from  my  sad  bosom  flown, 
Why  lost  that  cheerfulness  1  thought  my  own; 
Why  seek  I  now  in  solitude  for  ease. 
Which  once  was  centred  in  a  wish  to  please. 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  129 

TJifc  ^leam  of  joy   which   this  unhappy   family 
derived  from  the  circumstance  which  had  beearelateci 


When  ev'ry  hour  in  joy  and  gladness  pass'd, 

And  eacli  new  day  shone  brighter  than  the  last ; 

When  in  society  I  lov'd  to  join  ; 

Wheii  to  enjoy  and  give  delijiht  whs  mine  ? — 

Now— sad  reverse  I — in  sorrow  wakes  each  day, 

And  grief's  sad  tones  inspire  each  plaintive  lay: 

Alas  !  too  [ilain  these  mournful  tears  can  tell 

The  pangs  of  wo  n:y  laboring  bosom  swell  I 

Thou  best  of  brothers— t'riend,  com|>anion,  guide, 

Joy  of  my  youth,  my  honour,  and  my  pride! 

Lost  is  all  peace -all  happiness  to  me. 

And  fled  all  comfort,  since  depriv'd  of  thee 

In  vain,  my  Lycidas,  thy  loss  I  mourn — 

In  vain  indulge  a  hope  of  thy  return  ; 

Still  years  roll  on,  and  still  1  vainly  sigh — 

Still  tears  of  anguish  drown  each  gushing  eye. 

Ah,  cruel  Time  1  how'slow  thy  ling'ring  jmce. 

Which  kteps  me  from  his  tender,  lov'd  embrace. 

At  home  to  see  him,  or  to  know  him  neai, 

How  much  I  wish— and  yet  how  much  I  fear  I 

Oh,  fatal  voyage  !  vvliich'robb'd  my  soul  of  peace 

And  wreck'd  my  happiness  in  stormy  seas  I 

Why,  my  lov'd  Lycidas,  why  didst  thou  stay. 

Why  waste  thy  life  from  friendship  far  away  1 

Though  guiltless  thou  of  mutiny  or  blame, 

And  free  from  aught  which  could  disgrace  thy  name. 

Though  thy  pure  soul,  in  honour's  footsteps  train'd, 

Was  never  yet  by  disobedience  stain'd  ; 

Yet  is  thy  fame  expos"d  to  slanders  wound, 

And  fell  suspicion  whisiiering  around. 

In  vain— to  those  who  knew  thy  worth  and  truth. 

Who  watch'd  each  opening  virtue  of  thy  youth. 

When  noblest  principles  inform'd  thy  mind, 

Where  sense  and  sensibility  were  join'd  ; 

Love  to  inspire,  to  charm,  to  win  each  heart, 

And  ev'ry  tender  sentiment  impart ; 

Thy  outward  form  adorn'd  with  ev'ry  grace  ; 

With  beauty's  softest  charms  thy  heavenly  face, 

Where  sweet  expression  beaming  ever  prov'd 

The  index  of  that  soul  by  all  belov'd  ; 

Thy  wit  so  keen,  thy  genius  form'd  to  soar, 

By  fancy  wing'd,  new  science  to  explore; 

Thy  temper,  ever  gentle,  good,  and  kind, 

Where  all  but  guilt  an  advocate  could  find  : 

To  those  who  know  this  character  was  thine 

(And  in  this  truth  assenting  numbers  join), 

How  vain  th'  attempt  to  fix  a  crime  on  thee 

Which  thou  disdain'st— from  which  each  thought  is  free  I 

No,  my  lov'd  brother,  ne'er  will  I  believe 

Thy  seeming  worth  was  meant  but  to  deceive : 


130  THE    OPEN-BOA       NAVIGATION. 

to  them  of  young-  Hey  wood's  swimming  off  to  the 
Pandora,  was  dissipated  by  a  letter  from  himself 
to  his  mother  soon  after  his  arrival  in  England,  in 
which  he  says: — "The  question,  my  dear  mother, 
in  one  of  your  letters,  concerning  my  s"imming  ofl 
to  the  Pandora,  is  one  falsity  anung  the  too  many 
in  which  I  have  often  thought  of  undeceivmg  you 
and  as  frequently  forgot.  The  story  was  this : — On 
the  morning  she  arrived,  accompanied  by  two  of  my 
friends  (natives),  I  was  going  up  the  mountains,  and 
having  got  about  a  hundred  yards  from  my  own 
house,  another  of  my  friends  (for  I  was  a  universal 
favourite  among  those  Indians,  and  perfectly  con- 
versant in  their  language)  came  running  after  me, 
and  informed  me  there  was  a  ship  coming.  I  imme- 
diately ascended  a  rising  ground,  and,  saw,  with 
indescribable  joy,  a  ship  laying-to  off  Hapiano;  it 
was  just  after  daylight,  and  thinking  Coleman  might 
not  be  awake,  and  therefore  ignorant  of  this  pleasing 
news,  I  sent  one  of  my  servants  to  inform  him  of 
it,  upon  which  he  immediately  went  off  in  a  single 

Still  will  I  think  (each  circumstance  though  strange) 

That  thy  firm  principles  could  never  change; 

That  hopes  of  preservation  urged  thy  slay, 

Or  force,  which  lliose  resistless  must  obRV. 

If  this  is  error,  let  me  still  remain 

In  error  wrapp'd,  nor  wake  to  truth  again  . 

Come  then,  sweet  Hope,  with  all  thy  train  oi  joy, 

Nor  let  Despair  each  rapfrous  thought  destroy; 

Indulgent  Heav'a,  in  pity  to  our  tears, 

At  length  will  bless  a  parent's  sinking  years ; 

Again  shall  1  behold  thy  lovely  face, 

By  manhood  form'd,  and  ripeii'd  ev'ry  grace  ; 

Again  I'll  press  thee  to  my  anxious  breast, 

And  ev'ry  sorrow  shall  be  hush'd  to  rest. 

Thy  presence  only  can  each  comfort  give. 

Come  then,  my  Lycidas,  and  let  me  live ; 

Life  without  thee  is  but  a  wretched  load, 

Thy  love  alone  can  smooth  its  thorny  road  ; 

But,  blest  with  thee,  how  light  were  every  wo; 

How  would  my  soul  with  joy  and  rapture  glow ! 

Kind  Heav'u  I  thou  iiast  my  happiness  in  store, 

Restore  him  innocent — I  ask  no  more  I 

<Nks8Y  Heywoob 
*  Isle  of  Man,  Feb.  ii5th,  1792." 


THE    OPKN  HOAT    NAVIGATION.  13 

canoe.  There  was  a  fresh  breeze,  and  the  shij 
working  into  the  bay ;  he  no  sooner  got  alongside 
than  the  rippling  capsized  the  canoe,  and  he  being 
obliged  to  let  go  the  tow-rope  to  get  her  righted, 
went  astern  and  was  picked  up  the  next  tack  and 
taken  on  board  the  Pandora,  he  being  the  first  person. 
T,  along  with  my  messmate  Stewart,  was  then  stand- 
ing upon  the  beach  with  a  double  canoe  manned 
wiUi  twelve  paddles  ready  for  launching;  and  just 
as  she  made  her  last  tack  into  her  berth  (for  we  did 
not  think  it  requisite  to  go  off  sooner)  we  put  off  and 
got  alongside  just  as  they  streamed  the  buoy  ;  and 
being  dressed  in  the  country  manner,  tanned  as  brown 
as  themselves,  and  I  tattooed  like  them  in  the  most 
curious  manner,  1  do  not  in  the  least  wonder  at  their 
taking  us  for  natives.  I  was  tattooed,  not  to  gratify 
my  own  desire,  but  theirs ;  for  it  was  my  constant 
endeavour  to  acquiesce  in  any  little  custom  which  I 
thought  would  be  agreeable  to  them,  though  painful 
in  the  process,  provided  I  gained  by  it  their  friend- 
ship and  esteem,  which  you  may  suppose  is  no  incon- 
siderable object  in  an  island  where  the  natives  are 
so  numerous.  The  more  a  man  or  woman  there  is 
tattooed,  the  more  they  are  respected ;  and  a  person 
having  none  of  these  marks  is  looked  upon  as  bear- 
ing an  unworthy  badge  of  disgrace,  and  considered 
as  a  mere  outcast  of  society." 

Among  the  many  anxious  friends  and  family  con- 
nexions of  the  Heywoods  w^as  Commodore  Pasley, 
to  whom  this  affectionate  young  lady  addressed  her- 
self on  the  melancholy  occasion;  and  the  following 
is  the  reply  she  received  from  this  ofRcer : — 

"  Sheerness,  June  8th,  1792. 
"  Would  to  God,  my  dearest  Nessy,  that  I  could 
rejoice  with  you  on  the  early  prospect  of  your 
brother's  arrival  in  England.  One  division  of  the 
Pandora's  people  has  arrived,  and  now  on  board  the 
Vengeance  (my  ship)-     Captain  Edwards,  with  the 


32  THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION. 

remainder,  and  all  the  prisoners  late  of  the  Bounty, 
in  number  ten  (four  having  been  drowned  on  the  loss 
of  that  ship),  are  daily  expected.  They  have  been 
most  rigorously  and  closely  confined  since  taken, 
and  will  continue  so,  no  doubt,  till  Bligh's  arrival. 
You  have  no  chance  of  seeing  him,  for  no  bail  can 
be  offered.  Your  inteUigence  of  his  swimming  oft 
on  the  Pandora's  arrival" is  not  founded :  a  man  of 
the  name  of  Coleman  swam  off  ere  she  anchored, — 
your  brother  and  Mr.  Stewart  the  next  day.  This 
last  youth,  when  the  Pandora  was  lost,  refused  to 
allov/  his  irons  to  be  taken  off  to  save  his  life. 

"  I  cannot  conceal  it  from  you,  my  dearest  Nessy, 
neither  is  it  proper  I  should,— your  brother  appears 
by  all  accounts  to  be  the  greatest  culprit  of  all. 
Christian  alone  excepted.  Every  exertion,  you  may 
/est  assured,  I  shall  use  to  save  his  life  ;  but  on  trial 
I  have  no  hope  of  his  not  being  condemned.  Three 
of  the  ten  who  are  expected  are  mentioned  in  Bligh's 
narrative  as  men  detained  against  their  inclination. 
Would  to  God  your  brother  had  been  one  of  that 
number !  I  will  not  distress  you  m.ore  by  enlarging 
on  this  subject;  as- inteUigence  arises  on  their  arri- 
val, you  shall  be  made  acquainted.  Adieu,  my  dear- 
est Nessy.  Present  my  affectionate  remembrances 
to  your  mother  and  sisters,  and  believe  me  always, 
with  the  warmest  affection, 

"  Your  uncle,  "  Thos.  Pasley." 

How  unlike  is  this  from  the  letter  of  Bligh !  while 
it  frankly  apprizes  this  amiable  lady  of  the  real  truth 
of  the  case,  without  disguise,  as  it  was  then  under- 
stood to  be  from  Mr.  Bligh's  representations,  it  as- 
sures her  of  his  best  exertions  to  save  her  brother's 
life.  Every  reader  of  sensibility  \vill  sympathize  in 
the  feeling  displayed  in  her  reply. 

''Isle  of  Man,  22d  June,  1792. 
"Harassed  by  the  mos^;  torturing  suspense,  and 


THE    OPEN-BOAT    NAVIGATION.  133 

miserably  wretched  as  I  have  been,  my  dearest  uncle, 
since  the  receipt  of  your  last,  conceive,  if  it  is  pos- 
sible, the  heartfelt  joy  and  satisfaction  we  expe- 
rienced yesterday  morning,  when,  on  the  arrival  of 
the  packet,  the  dear  delightful  letter  from  our  be- 
loved Peter  (a  copy  of  which  I  send  you  enclosed) 
was  brought  to  us.  Surely,  my  excellent  friend,  you 
will  agree  with  me  in  thinking  there  could  not  be  a 
stronger  proof  of  his  innocence  and  worth,  and  that 
it  must  prejudice  every  person  who  reads  it  most 
powerfully  in  his  favour.  Such  a  letter  in  less  dis- 
tressful circumstances  than  those  in  which  he  writes 
would,  I  am  persuaded,  reflect  honour  on  the  pen  of 
a  person  much  older  th^n  my  poor  brother.  But 
when  we  consider  his  extreme  youth  (only  sixteen 
at  the  time  of  the  mutiny,  and  nov/  but  nineteen), 
his  fortitude,  patience,  and  manly  resignation  under 
the  pressure  of  sufferings  and  misfortunes  almost 
unheard  of,  and  scarcely  to  be  supported  at  any  age, 
without  the  assistance  of  that  which  seems  to  be  my 
dear  brother's  greatest  comfort, — a  quiet  conscience, 
and  a  thorough  conviction  of  his  own  innocence, — 
when  I  add,  at  the  same  time,  with  real  pleasure  and 
satisfaction,  that  his  relation  corresponds  in  many 
particulars  with  the  accounts  we  have  hitherto  heard 
of  the  fatal  mutiny, — and  when  I  also  add,  with  in- 
conceivable pride  and  delight,  that  my  beloved  Peter 
never  was  known  to  breathe  a  syllable  inconsistent 
with  truth  and  honour ; — ^when  these  circumstances, 
my  dear  uncle,  are  all  united,  what  man  on  earth 
can  doubt  of  the  innocence  which  could  dictate  such 
a  letter  1  In  short,  let  it  speak  for  him.  The  peru- 
sal of  his  artless  and  pathetic  story  will,  I  am  per- 
suaded, be  a  stronger  recommendation  in  his  favour 
than  any  thing  I  can  urge.* 

"I  need  not  tire  your  patience,  my  ever-loved 
uncle,  by  dwelling  longer  on  this  subject  (the  dear- 

*  This  interesting  letter  is  given  in  the  following  chapter,  to  which  U 
appropriately  belongs. 

L 


134  THE    PANDORA. 

est  and  most  interesting  on  earth  to  my  heart) ;  let 
me  conjure  you  only,  my  kind  friend,  to  read  it,  and 
consider  the  innocence  and  defenceless  situation  of 
its  unfortunate  author,  which  calls  for,  and  I  am 
sure  deserves,  all  the  pity  and  assistance  his  friends 
can  afford  him,  and  which,  I  am  sure  also,  the  good- 
ness and  benevolence  of  your  heart  will  prompt  you 
to  exert  in  his  behalf.  It  is  perfectly  unnecessary 
for  me  to  add,  after  the  anxiety  I  feel,  and  cannot  but 
express,  that  no  benefit  conferred  upon  myself  will 
be  acknowledged  with  half  the  gratitude  I  nmst  ever 
feel  for  the  smallest  instance  of  kindness  shown  to 
my  beloved  Peter.  Farewell,  my  dearest  uncle. 
With  the  firmest  reliance  ©n  your  kind  and  gene- 
rous promises,  I  am  ever,  with  the  truest  gratitude, 
and  sincerity, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  niece, 

"  Nessy  Heywood.'* 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE   PANDORA. 


-"Oh!  I  have  siifferM 


With  those  that  I  saw  suffer!    A  brave  vessel, 
Who  had,  no  doubt,  some  noble  ".reature  in  her 
Dash'd  all  to  pieces.    O,  the  cry  did  knock 
Against  my  very  heart !    Poor  souls  I  they  perish'd 
Had  I  been  any  god  of  power,  I  would 
Have  sunk  the  sea  within  the  earth,  or  ere 
It  should  the  good  ship  so  have  swallow'd,  and 
The  freighting  souls  within  her." 

The  tide  of  public  applause  set  as  strongly  in  fa- 
vour of  Bligh,  on  account  of  his  sufferings  and  the 
successful  issue  of  his  daring  enterprise,  as  its  in- 
dignation was  launched  agamst  Christian  and  his 
associates,  for  the  aud.if*ious  and  criminal  deed  thev 


THE    PANDORA.  135 

had  committed.  Bligh  was  promoted  by  the  Admi- 
ralty to  the  rank  of  commander,  and  speedily  sent 
out  a  second  time  to  transport  the  bread-fruit  to  the 
West  Indies,  which  he  without  the  least  obstruction 
successfully  accomphshed ;  and  his  majesty's  gov- 
ernment were  no  sooner  made  acquainted  with  the 
atrocious  act  of  piracy  and  mutiny,  than  it  deter- 
mined to  adopt  every  possible  means  to  appreliend 
and  bring  to  condign  punishment  the  perpetrators  of 
so  foul  a  deed.  For  this  purpose,  the  Pandora  frig- 
ate of  twenty-four  guns,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty 
men,  was  despatched  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Edward  Edwards,  with  orders  to  proceed  in  the  first 
instance  to  Otaheite,  and,  not  finding  the  mutineers 
there,  to  visit  the  different  groups  of  the  Society  and 
Friendly  Islands,  and  others  in  the  neighbouring 
parts  of  the  Pacific,  using  his  best  endeavours  to 
seize  and  bring  home  in  confinement  the  whole  or 
such  part  of  the  delinquents  as  he  might  be  able  to 
discover. 

This  voyage  was  in  the  sequel  almost  as  disas- 
trous as  tliat  of  the  Bounty,  but  from  a  different 
cause.  The  waste  of  human  life  was  nnich  greater, 
occasioned  by  the  wreck  of  the  ship ;  and  the  dis- 
tress experienced  by  the  crew  not  much  less,  owing 
to  the  famine  and  thirst  they  had  to  suffer  in  a  navi- 
gation of  eleven  hundred  miles  in  open  boats;  but 
the  captain  succeeded  in  fulfilling  a  part  of  his  in- 
structions, by  taking  fourteen  of  the  mutineers,  of 
whom  ten  were  brought  safe  to  England,  the  other 
four  being  drowned  when  the  ship  was  wrecked. 

The  only  published  account  of  this  voyage  is  con- 
tained in  a  small  volume  by  Mr.  George  Hamilton, 
the  surgeon,  who  appears  to  have  been  a  coarse 
vulgar,  and  illiterate  man,  more  disposed  to  relate 
licentious  scenes  and  adventures  in  which  he  and 
his  companions  were  engaged,  than  to  give  any  in- 
formation of  proceedings  and  occurrences  connected 
witb  the  main  object  of  the  voyage.  •  From  this  book. 


136  THE  PANDORA. 

therefore,  much  information  is  not  to  be  looked  for. 
In  a  more  modern  publication  many  abusive  epithets 
have  been  bestowed  on  Captain  Edwards,  and  obser- 
vations made  on  the  conduct  of  this  officer  highly 
injurious  to  his  reputation,  in  regard  to  his  inhuman 
treatment  of,  and  disgraceful  acts  of  cruelty  towards, 
his  prisoners,  which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  have  but  too 
much  foundation  in  fact. 

The  account  of  his  proceedings  rendered  by  him- 
self to  the  Admiralty  is  vague  and  unsatisfactory; 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  journal  of  Morrison,  and 
a  ciroimistantial  letter  of  young  Heywood  to  his 
mother,  no  record  would  have  remained  of  the  un- 
feeling conduct  of  this  officer  towards  his  unfortu- 
nate prisoners,  who  were  treated  with  a  rigour 
which  could  not  be  justified  on  any  ground  of  neces- 
sity or  prudence. 

The  Pandora  anchored  in  Matavai  Bay  on  the  23d 
March,  1791.  Captain  Edwards,  in  his  narrative, 
states  that  Joseph  Coleman,  the  armourer  of  the 
Bounty,  attempted  to  come  on  board  before  the  Pan- 
dora had  anchored ;  that  on  reaching  the  ship  he 
began  to  make  inquiries  of  him  after  the  Bounty  and 
her  people,  and  that  he  seemed  to  be  ready  to  give 
him  any  information  that  was  required;  that  the 
next  who  came  on  board,  just  after  the  ship  had  an- 
chored, were  Mr.  Peter  Heywood  and  Mr.  Stewart, 
before  any  boat  had  been  sent  on  shore ;  that  tljey 
were  brought  down  to  his  cabin,  when,  after  some 
conversation,  Heywood  asked  if  Mr.  Hayward  (mid- 
shipman of  tie  i3ounty,  but  now^  lieutenant  of  the 
Pandora)  was  on  board,  as  he  had  heard  that  he  was; 
that  Lieutenant  Hayward,  whom  he  sent  for,  treated 
Heywood  with  a  sort  of  contemptuous  look,  and 
began  to  enter  into  conversation  with  him  respect- 
ing the  Bounty  ;  but  Edwards  ordered  him  to  desist, 
and  called  in  the  sentinel  to  take  the  prisoners  into 
safe  custody,  and  to  put  them  in  irons ;  that  four 
other  mutineers  .soon  made  their  appearance :  and 


THE    PANDORA.  137 

that  from  them  and  some  of  the  natives  he  learned 
that  the  rest  of  the   Bounty's  people  had  built  a 
schooner,  with  which  they  had  sailed  the  day  before 
from  Matavai  Bay  to  the ''  orth-west  part  of  the  island. 
He  goes  on  to  say,  t.-at  on  this  intelligence  he 
despatched   the  two  lieutenants,  Corner  and  Hay- 
ward,  with  the  pinnace  and  launch,  to  endeavouf  to 
intercept  her.     They  soon  got  sight  of  her  and 
chased,  her  out  to  sea,  but  the  schooner  gained  so 
much  upon  them,  and  night  coming  on,  they  were 
compelled  to  give  up  the  pursuit  and  return  to  the 
ship.     It  was  soon  made  known,  however,  that  she 
had  returned  to  Paparre,  on  which  they  were  again 
despatched  in  search  of  her.    Lieutenant  Corner  had 
taken  three  of  the  muti»eers,  and   Hayward,  on 
arriving  at  Paparre,  found  the  schooner  there,  but 
the  mutineers  had   abandoned  her  and  fled  to  the 
mountains.     He  carried  off  the  schooner,  and  re- 
turned next  day,  when  he  learned  they  were  not  far 
off;  and  the   following  morning,  on  hearing  they 
were  coming  down,  he  drew  up  his  party  in  order  to 
receive  them,  and  when  within  hearing,  called  to 
them  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  to  go  on  one  side, 
which   tliey  did,   when    they  were    confined  and 
brought  as  prisoners  to  the  ship. 

The  following  were  the  persons  received  onboard 
the  Pandora: — 

Peter  Ileywood Midsliipman. 

George  Stewart Ditto. 

James  Morrison Boatswain's  Mate. 

Ciiarles  Norman Carpenter's  Mate. 

Thomas  M'lntosli Carpenter's  Crew 

Josep  I  Coleman Armourer. 

Ric  lard  Skinner         "| 
Ttiomas  Ellison  I 

Henry  Hillbrant  | 

Tiiomas  Burkitt  1  c^,.v,o« 

JohnMillward  f Seamen. 

Jolin  Sumner  I 

William  Musprat        | 
Riohard  Cyrn  J 

In  all  fourteen.    The  other  two,  which  made  up  the 


138  THE    PANDORA. 

sixteen  that  had  been  left  on  the  island,  were  mur- 
dered, as  will  appear  presently. 

Captain  Edwards   will  himself  explain  how  he 
disposed  of  his  prisoners.     "  I  put  the  pirates,"  he 
says,  "  into  a  round-house  which  I  built  on  the  after- 
p^t  of  the  quarter-deck,  for  their  more  effectual  se- 
curity in  this  airy  and  healthy  situation,  and  to  sepa- 
rate them  from,  and  to  prevent  their  having  commu- 
nication with,  or  to  crowd  and  incommode  the  ship's 
company."     Dr.  Hamilton  calls  it  the  most  desirable 
place  in  the  ship,  and  adds,  that  "  orders  were  given 
that  the  prisoners  should  be  victualled  in  every  re- 
spect the  same  as  the  ship's  company,  both  m  meat, 
liquor,  and  all  the  extra  indulgences  with  which  they 
were  so  liberally  supplied^  notwithstanding  the  estab- 
lished laws  o^  the  service,  which  restrict  prisoners 
to  two-thirds  allowance  ;  but  Captain  Edwards  very 
humanely  commiserated  their  unhappy  and  inevita- 
ble length  of  confinement."     Mr.  Morrison,  one  of 
the  prisoners,  gives  a  very  different  account  of  their 
treatment  from  that  of  Edwards  or  Hamilton.     He 
says  that  Captain  Edwards  put  both  legs  of  the  two 
midshipmen  in  irons,  and  that  he  branded  tliem  with 
the  opprobrious  epithet  of  "  piratical  villains ;"  that 
they,  with  the  rest,  being  strongly  handcuffed,  were 
put  into  a  kind  of  round-house,  only  eleven  feet  long, 
built  as  a  prison,  and  aptly  named  "  Pandora's  Box," 
which  was  entered  by  a  scuttle  in  the  roof,  about 
eighteen  inches   square.      This  was  done  in  order 
that  they  might  be  kept  separate  from  the  crew,  and 
also  the   more   effectually  to   prevent  them  from 
having  any  communication  with  the  natives ;  that 
such  of  those  friendly  creatures  as  ventured  to  look 
pitifully  towards  them  were  instantly  turned  out  of 
the  ship,  and  nev&r  again  allowed  to  come  on  board 
But  two   sentinels  were  kept  constantly  upon  the 
roof  of  the  prison,  with  orders  to  shoot  the  first  of 
its  inmates  who  should  attempt  to  address  another 
in  the  Otaheitan  dialect. 


THE    PANDORA.  139 

That  Captain  Edwards  took  even''  pr^'^caution  to 
keep  his  prisoners  in  safe  custodj^and  place  them  in 
confinement,  as  by  his  instructions  he  ivas  directed 
to  do,  may  be  well  imagined,*  but  Mr.  Morrison  will 
probably  be  thought  to  go  somewhat  beyond  credi- 
bility in  stating  that  orders  were  given  "  to  shoot  any 
of  the  prisoners,"  when  confined  in  irons.    Captain 
Edwards  must  have  known  that  such  an  act  would 
have  cost  him  his  commission,  or  something  more. 
The  fact  is,  that  information  was  given  to  Edwards, 
at  least  he  so  asserts,  by  the  brother  of  the  King  of 
Otaheite,  an  intelligent  chief,  that  a  conspiracy  was  ■ 
formed  among  the  ncitives  to  cut  the  ship's  cables 
'the  first  strong  wind  that  should  blow  on  the  shore, 
which  was  considered  to  be  the  more  probable,  as 
many  of  the  prisoners  were  said  to  be  married  to  the 
most  respectable  chiefs'  daughters   in  the   district 
opposite   to  the  anchorage;   that  the  midshipman 
Stewart,  in  particular,  had  married  the  daughter  of  a 
man  of  great  landed  property  near  Matavai.  Bay. 
This  intelligence,  no  doubt,  weighed  with  the  cap- 
tain in  giving  his  orders  for  the  close  confinement 
of  the  prisoners  ;  and  particularly  in  restricting  the 
visits  of  the  natives ;  but  so  far  is  it  from  being  true 
that  all  communication  between  the  mutineers  and 
the  natives  was  cut  off,  that  we  are  distinctly  told 
by  Mr.  Hamilton,  that  "  the  prisoners'  wives  visited 
the  ship  daily,  and  brought  their  children,  who  were 
permitted  to  be  carried  to  their  unhappy  fathers.    To 
see  the  poor  captives  in  irons,"  he  says,  "  weeping 
over  their'^.ender  offspring,  was  too  moving  a  scene  for 
any  feeling  heart.     Their  wives  brought  them  ample 
suppliesof  every  delicacy  that  the  country  afforded, 
while  we  lay  there,  and  behaved  with  the  greatest 
fidelity  and  affection  to  them."t 

*  His  erder*  ran  thus  : — "You  are  to  keep  the  mutinrers  aa  closely 
confined  as  m.iy  preclude  all  possibility  of  their  ^scaping,  having,  how- 
ever, proper  regard  to  the  preservation  of  their  lives,  that  they  nnay  b« 
Drought  home,  to  undergo  the  punishment  due  to  their  demerits."  . 

t  Voyage  round  the  Vvorld,  by  Mr.  George  Hamilton,  p.  34. 


140  THE    PANDORA. 

Of  the  fidelit}^  and  attachment,  of  these  simple- 
minded  creatures  an  instance  is  afforded  in  the  affect- 
ins:  story  which  is  told,  in  the.  first  Missionary 
Voyag-e  of  the  Duff,  of  the  unfortunate  wife  of  the 
reputed  mutineer  Mr.  Stewart.  It  would  seem  also 
to  exonerate  Edwards  from  some  part  of  the  charges 
which  have  been  brought  against  him. 

"  The  history  of  Peggy  Stewart  marks  a  tender- 
ness of  heart  that  never  will  be  heard"  without  emo- 
tion:   she  was  daughter  of  a  chief,  and  taken  for 
his  wafe  by  Mr.  Stewart,  one  of  the  unhappy  muti- 
neers.    They  had  lived  with  the  old  chief  in  the 
most  tender  state  of  endearment;  a  beautiful  httle 
girl  had  been  the  fruit  of  their  union,  and  was  at  th? 
breast  when  the  Pandora  arrived,  seized  the  crimi- 
nals, and  secured  them  in  irons  on  board  the  ship. 
Frantic  with  grief,  the  unhappy  Peggy  (for  so  he  had 
named  her)  flew  with  her  infant  in  a  canoe  to  the 
arms  of  her  husband.     The  interview  was  so  affect- 
ing and   afflicting,  that  the  officers  on  board  were 
overwhelmed  with   anguish,  and   Stewart  himself, 
unable  to  bear  the  heart-rendmg  scene,  begged  she 
might  not  be  admitted  again  on  board.     She  was 
separated  from  him  by  violence,  and  conveyed  on 
shore  in  a  state  of  despair  and  grief  too  big  for 
utterance.     IVithheld  from  him,  and   forbidden  to 
come  any  more  on  board,  she  sunk  into  the  deepest 
dejection ;  it  preyed  on  her  vitals ;  she  lost  all  relish 
for  food  and  life,  rejoiced  no  more,  pined  under  a 
rapid  decay  of  two  months,  and  fell  a  victim  to  her 
feelings,  dying  literally   of  a  broken   heart.     Her 
child  is  yet  alive,  and  the  tender  object  of  our  care, 
having  been  brought  up  by  a  sister,  who  nursed  it  as 
her  own,  and  has  discharged  all  the  duties  of  an 
affectionate  mother  to  the  orphan  infant."* 

It  does  not  appear  that  young  Heywood  formed 
any  matrimonial  engagement  during  his  abode  m 

*  A.  Miasionftrv  Voyase  to  th«  Soutbesn  Faoigo.  o  ¥€0- 


THE    PANDORA.  141 

Otaheite.  He  was  not,  howerer,  insensible  tg  the 
amiable  and  good  qualities  of  these  people.  In  some 
la-udatory  verses  which  he  wrote  while  on  the  island, 
their  numerous  g-ood  qualities  are  spoken  of  in  terms 
of  the  highest  commendation. 

All  the  mutineers  that  were  left  on  the  island 
being  received  on  board  the  Pandora,  that  ship  pro- 
ceeded in  search  of  those  who  had  gone  away  in  the 
Bounty.  It  may  be  mentioned,  however,  that  two 
of  the  most  active  in  the  mutiny,  Churchill  and 
Thompson,  had  perished  on  the  island  before  her  ar- 
rival, by  violent  deaths.  These  two  men  had  accom- 
panied a  chief,  who  was  the  layo,  or  sworn  friend,  of 
Churchill,  and  having  died  without  children,  this 
mutineer  succeeded  to  his  property  and  dignity,  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  the  country.  Thompson, 
for  some  real  or  fancied  insult,  took  an  opportunity 
of  shooting  his  conipanion.  The  natives  assembled, 
and  came  to  a  resolution  to  avenge  the  murder,  and 
literally  stoned  Thompson  to  death,  and  his  scull 
was  brought  on  board  the  Pandora.  This  horrible 
wretch  had  some  time  before  slain  a  man  and  a  child 
through  mere  wantonness,  but  escaped  punishment 
by  a  mistake  that  had  nearly  proved  fatal  to  young 
Heywood.  It  seems  that  the  description  of  a  per- 
son in  Otaheite  is  usually  given  by  some  distinguish- 
ing figure  of  the  tattoo^  and  Heywood,  having  the 
same  marks  as  Thompson,  was  taken  for  him  ;  and 
just  as  the  club  was  raised  to  dash  out  his  brains,  the 
interposition  of  an  old  chief,  with  whom  he  was 
travelhng  round  the  island,  was  just  in  time  to  avert 
the  blow. 

Captain  Edwards  had  no  rlew  to  guide  him  as  to 
the  route  taken  by  the  Bounty,  but  he  learned  from 
different  people,  and  from  journals  kept  on  board  that 
ship,  which  were  found  in  the  chests  of  the  muti- 
neers at  Otaheite,  the  proceedings  of  Christian  and 
his  associates  after  Lieutenant  Bligh  and  his  com- 
paoioiis  had  been  turned  adrift  in  the  launch.    From 


142  THE    PANDORA. 

these  it  appears  that  the  pirates  proceeded  in  the 
first'iii3taiice  to  the  island  of  Toobouai,  in  lat.  20°  13' 
S,,  long.  149^  35'  W.,  where  they  anchored  on  the 
25th  May,  1789.  They  had  thrown  overboard  the 
greater  part  of  the  bread-fruit  plants,  and  divided 
among  themselves  the  property  of  the  officers  and 
men  who  had  been  so  inhumanly  turned  adrift.  At 
this  island  they  intended  to  form  a  settlement,  but 
the  opposition  of  the  natives,  the  want  of  many 
necessary  materials,  and  quarrels  among  themselves, 
determined  them  to  go  to  Otaheite  to  procure  what 
might  be  required  to  effect  their  purpose,  provided 
they  should  agree  to  prosecute  their  original  inten- 
tion. They  accordingly  sailed  from  Toobouai  about 
the  latter  end  of  the  month,  and  arrived  at  Otaheite 
on  the  Gth  June.  The  otoo,  or  reigning  sovereign, 
and  other  principal  natives,  were  very  inquisitive 
and  anxious  to  know  what  had  become  of  Lieuten- 
ant Bligh  and  the  rest  of  the  crew,  and  also  what 
had  been  done  with  the  bread-fruit  plants.  They 
v/ere  told  they  had  most  unexpectedly  fallen  in  with 
Captain  Cook,  at  an  island  he  had  just  discovered, 
called  Whytootakee,  where  he  intended  to  form  a 
settlement,  and  where  the  plants  had  been  landed  ; 
and  that  Lieutenant  Bligh  and  the  others  were  stop- 
ping there  to  assist  Captain  Cook  in  the  business  he 
had  in  hand,  and  that  he  had  appointed  Mr.  Chris- 
tian conmiander  of  the  Bounty ;  and  that  he  was 
now  come  by  his  orders  for  an  additional  supply  of 
hogs,  goats,  fowls,  bread-fruit,  and  various  other 
articles  which  Otaheite  could  supply. 

This  artful  story  was  quite  sufficient  to  impose  on 
the  credulity  of  these  humane  and  simple-minded 
islanders ;  and  so  overcome  with  joy  were  they  to 
hear  that  their  old  friend  Captain  Cook  was  alive, 
and  about  to  settle  so  near  them,  that  every  possible 
means  were  forthwith  made  use  of  to  procure  the 
things  that  were  wanted  ;  so  that  in  the  course  of  a 
very  few  days  the  Bounty  received  on  board  three 


THE    PANDORA.  143 

hundred  and  twelve  hogs,  thirty-eight  goats,  eight 
dozen  of  fowls,  a  br.ll  and  a  cow,  and  a  large  quan- 
tity of  bread-fruit,  plantains, bananas,  and  other  fruits. 
They  also  took  with  them  eight  men,  nine  women, 
and  seven  boys.  With  these  supplies  they  left  Ota- 
heite  on  the  1 9th  June,  and  arrived  a-secon^  time  at 
Toobouai  on  the  26th.  They  warped  the  ship  up 
the  harbour,  landed  the  live  stock,  and  set  about 
building  a  fott^of  fifty  yards  square. 

While  this  work  was  carrying  on,  quarrels  and  dis- 
agreements were  daily  happening  among  them,  and 
continual  disputes  and  skirmishes  were  taking  place 
with  the  natives,  generally  brought  on  by  the  violent 
conduct  of  the  invaders,  and  by  depredations  com- 
mitted on  their  property.  Retahations  were  at- 
tempted by  the  natives  without  success,  numbers 
of  whom,  being  pursued  with  firearms,  were  put  to 
death.  Still  the  situation  of  the  mutineers  became 
so  disagreeable  and  unsafe,  the  work  went  on  so 
slowly  and  reluctantly,  that  tlie  building  of  the  fort 
was  agreed  to  be  discontinued.  Christian,  in  fact, 
had  veiy  soon  perceived  that  his  authority  was  on 
the  wane,  and  that  no  peaceful  establishment  was 
likely  to  be  accomplished  at  Toobouai ;  he  therefore 
held  a  consultation  as  to  what  would  be  the  most 
advisable  step  to  take.  After  much  angiy  discus- 
sion, it  was  at  length  determined  that  Toobouai 
should  be  abandoned ;  that  the  ship  should  once  more 
be  taken  to  Otaheite;  and  that  those  who  might 
choose  to  go  on  shore  there  might  do  so,  and  those 
who  preferred  to  remain  in  the  ship  might  proceed 
in  her  to  whatever  place  they  should  agree  upon 
among  themselves. 

In  consequence  of  this  determination,  they  sailed 
from  Toobouai  on  the  15th,  and  arrived  at  Matavai 
Bay  on  the  20th  September,  1789.  Here  sixteen  of 
the  mutineers  were  put  on  shore,  at  their  own  re- 
quest, fourteen  of  whom  were  received  on  board  the 
Pandora,  and  two  of  them,  as  before  mentioned. 


144  THE    PANDORA. 

were  murdered  on  the  island.  The  remaining  nine 
agreed  to  continue  in  the  Bounty.  The  small  arms, 
powder,  canvass,  and  the  small'stores  belonging  to 
the  ship  were  equally  divided  among  the  whole 
crew.  'The  Bounty  sailed  finally  from  Ot»heite  on 
the  night  of  the  21st  September,  and  was  last  seen 
the  following  morning  to  the  north-west  of  Point 
Venus.  They  took  with  them  seven  Otaheitan  men 
and  twelve  women.  It  was  not  even  conjectured 
whither  they  meant  to  go ;  but  Christian  had  fre- 
quently been  heard  to  say,  that  his  object  was  to 
discover  some  unknown  or  uninhabited  island,  in 
which  there  was  no  harbour  for  shipping;  that  he 
would  run  the  Bounty  on  shore,  and  make  use  of  her 
materials  to  form  a  settlement ;  but  this  was  the  only 
account,  vague  as  it  was,  that  could  be  procured 
to  direct  Captain  Edwards  in  his  intended  search. 
It  appears  that  when  the  schooner,  of  which  we 
have  spoken,  had  been  finished,  six  of  the  fourteen 
mutineers  that  were  left  on  Otaheite  embarked  in 
her,  with  the  intention  of  proceeding  to  the  East 
Indies,  and  actually  put  to  sea ;  but  meeting  with 
bad  weather,  and  suspecting  the  nautical  abilities  of 
Morrison,  whom  they  had  elected  as  commanding 
officer,  to  conduct  her  in  safety,  they  resolved  on 
returning  to  Otaheite.  Morrison,  it  seems,  first  un- 
dertook the  construction  of  this  schooner,  being 
himself  a  tolerable  mechanic,  in  which  he  was  as- 
sisted by  the  two  carpenters,  the  cooper,  and  some 
others.  To  this  little  band  of  architects,  we  are  told, 
Morrison  acted  both  as  director  and  chaplain,  dis- 
tinguishing the  Sabbath-day  by  reading  to  them  the 
church  liturgy,  and  hoisting  the  British  colours  on 
a  flag-staff  erected  near  the  scene  of  their  opera- 
tions. Conscious  of  his  innocence,  his  object  is 
stated  to  have  been  that  of  reaching  Batavia  in  time 
to  secure  a  passage  home  in  the  next  fleet  bound  to 
Holland;  but  that  their  return  was  occasioned,  not 
by  any  distrust  of  Morrison's  talents,  but   by   a 


THE    PANDORA.  i45 

refusal  on  the  part  of  the  natives  to  give  tliem  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  matting  and  other  necessaries 
lor  so  long  a  voyage,  being,  in  fact,  desirous  of  re- 
taining them  on  the  island.  Stewart  and  young 
Heywood  took  no  part  in  this  transaction,  having 
made  up  their  minds  to  remain  at  Otaheite,and  there 
to  await  the  arrival  of  a  king's  ship,  it  being  morally 
certain  that  ere  long  one  would  be  sent  out  thither 
to  search  for  them,  whatever  might  have  been  the 
fate  of  Bligh  and  his  companions ;  and  that  this  was 
really  their  intention  is  evident  by  the  alacrity  they 
displayed  in  getting  on  board  the  Pandora  the  mo- 
ment of  her  arrival. 

On  the  8th  of  May.  this  frigate  left  Otaheite,  ac- 
companied by  the  little  schooner  which-  the  muti- 
neers had  built,  and  the  history  of  which  is  some- 
what remarkable.  In  point  of  size  she  was  not  a 
great  deal  larger  than  Lieutenant  Bligh's  launch,  her 
dimensions  being  thirty  feet  length  of  keel,  thirty- 
five  feet  length  on  deck,  nine  feet  and  a  half  ex- 
treme breadth,  five  feet  depth  of  the  hold.  She 
parted  from  the  Pandora  near  the  Palmerston 
Islands,  when  searching  for  the  Bounty,  and  was  not 
heard  of  till  the  arrival  of  the  Pandora's  crew  at 
Samarang,  in  .Java,  where  the}'-  found  her  lying  at 
anchor,  the  crew  having  suffered  so  dreadfully  from 
famine  and  the  want  of  water,  that  one  of  the  young 
gentlemen  belonging  to  her  became  delirious.  She 
was  a  remarkably  swift  sailer,  and  being  afterward 
employed  in  the  sea-otter  trade,  is  stated  to  have 
made  one  of  the  quickest  passages  ever  known  from 
China  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  This  memorable 
little  vessel  was  purchased  at  Canton  by  the  late 
Captam  Broughton,  to  assist  him  in  surveying  the 
coast  of  Tartary,  and  became  the  means  of  pre- 
serving the  crew  of  his  majesty's  ship  Providt  nee 
amounting  to  one  hundred  and  twelve  men,  when 
wrecked  to  the  eastward  of  Formosa,  in  the  year  1737. 

The  Pandora  called  at  numerous  islands  witLuut 


146  THE    PANDORA. 

success,  but  on  Lieutenant  Corner  having  landed  on 
one  of  the  Palmerston's  group,  he  found  a  yard  and 
some  spars  with  the  broad  arrow  upon  them,  and 
marked  "Bounty."  This  induced  the  captain  to 
cause  a  very  minute  search  to  be  made  in  all  these 
islands,  in  the  course  of  which  the  Pandora,  b'^mg 
driven  out  to  sea  by  blowing  weather,  and  very  thick 
and  hazy,  lost  sight  of  the  little  tender  and  a  jolly 
boat,  the  latter  of  which  was  never  more  heard  of. 
This  gives  occasion  to  a  little  splenetic  effusion  from 
a  writer  in  a  periodical  journal,*  Avhich  was  hardly 
called  for.  "  When  this  boat,"  says  the  writer, 
"  with  a  midshipman  and  several  men  (four),  had 
been  inhumanly  ordered  from  alongside,  it  was 
known  tha*  there  was  nothing  in  her  but  one  piece 
of  salt-beef,  compassionately  thrown  in  by  a  sea- 
man ;  and  horrid  as  must  have  been  their  fate,  the 
flippant' surgeon,  after  detailing  the  disgraceful  fact; 
adds,  *  that  this  is  the  way  the  world  was  peopled, 
or  words  to  that  effect,  for  we  quote  only  from  me- 
mory." The  following  is  quoted  from  the  book : — 
"It  may  be  difficult  to  surmise,"  says  the  surgeon, 
"  what  has  been  the  fate  of  tliose  unfortunate  men. 
They  had  a  piece  of  salt  beef  thrown  into  the  boat 
to  them  on  leaving  the  ship ;  and  it  rained  a  good 
deal  that  night  and  the  following  day,  which  might 
satiate  their  thirst.  It  is  by  these  accidents  the 
Divine  Ruler  of  the  universe  has  peopled  the 
southern  hemisphere."  This  is  no  more  than  as- 
serting an  acknowledged  fact  that  can  hardly  admit 
of  a  dispute,  and  there  appears  nothing  in  the  para- 
graph which  at  all  affects  the  character  of  Captain 
Edwards,  against  whom  it  is  levelled. 

After  a  fruitless  search  of  three  months,  the  Pan- 
dora arrived  on  the  29th  August  on  the  coast  of 
New-Holland,  and  close  to  that  extraordmary  reef. 
^^{  coral  rocks  called  the  "  Barrier  Reef,"  which 

*  United  Service  JournaL 


THE    PANDORA.  147 

runs  along  the  greater  part  of  the  eastern  coast,  but 
at  a  considerable  distance  from  it.  The  boat  had 
been  sent  out  to  look  for  an  opening,  which  was  soon 
discovered,  but  in  the  course  of  the  night  the  ship 
had  drifted  past  it.  "  On  getting  soundings,"  says 
Captain  Edwards,  in  his  narrative  laid  before  the 
court-martial,  "  the  topsails  were  filled;  but  before 
the  tacks  were  hauled  on  board  and  other  sail  made 
and  trimmed,  the  ship  struck  upon  a  reef;  we  had  a 
quarter  less  two  fathoms  on  the  larboard  side,  and 
three  fathoms  on  the  starboard  side ;  the  sails  were 
braced  about  different  w^ays  to  endeavour  to  get  her 
off,  but  to  no  purpose  ;  they  were  then  clewed  up 
and  afterward  furled,  the  top-gallant  yards  got 
down  and  the  top-gallant  masts  struck.  Boats 
were  hoisted  out  with  a  view  to  carry  out  an 
anchor,  but  before  that  could  be  effected  the  ship 
struck  so  violently  on  the  reef,  that  the  carpenter 
reported  she  made  eighteen  inches  of  water  in  five 
minutes;  and  in  five  minutes  after  this,  that  there 
were  four  feet  of  water  in  the  hold.  Finding  the 
leak  increasing  so  fast,  it  was  thought  necessary  to 
turn  the  hands  to  the  pumps,  and  to  bail  at  the  dif- 
ferent hatchways;  but  she  still  continued  to  gain 
upon  us  so  fast,  that  in  little  more  than  an  hour  and 
a  half  after  she  struck,  there  were  eight  feet  and  a 
half  of  water  in  the  hold.  About  ten  we  perceived 
that  the  ship  had  beaten  over  the  reef,  and  was  in 
ten  fathoms  water;  w^e  therefore  let  go  the  small 
bower  anchor,  cleared  away  a  Cable,  and  let  go  the 
best  bovver  anchor  in  fifteen  and  a  half  fathoms 
water  under  foot,  to  steady  the  ship.  Some  of  her 
guns  were  thrown  overboard,  and  the  water  gained 
upon  us  only  in  a  small  degree,  and  we  flattered 
ourselves  that  by  the  assistance  of  a  thrummed 
lopsail,  which  we  were  preparing  to  haul  under  the 
ship's  bottom,  we  might  be  able  to  lessen  the  leak, 
and  to  free  her  of  water :  but  these  flattering  hopes 
did  not  continue  long;  for,  as  she  settled  in  the 


148  THE    PANDOKa. 

water  the  leak  increased  again,  and  in  so  great  a 
degree  that  there  was  reason  to  apprehend  she 
would  sink  before  daylight.  During  the  night  two 
of  the  pumps  were  unfortunately  for  some  time  ren- 
dered useless ;  one  of  them,  however,  was  repaired, 
and  we  continued  bailing  and  pumping  the  remaindei 
of  the  night;  and  every  effort  that  was  thought  of 
was  made  to  keep  afloat  and  preserve  the  ship. 
Daylight  fortunately  appeared,  and  gave  us  the  op- 
portunity of  seeing  our  situation  and  the  surround- 
ing danger,  and  it  was  evident  the  ship  had  been 
carried  to  the  northward  by  a  tide  or  current. 

"  The  officers,  whom  I  had  consulted  on  the  sub- 
ject of  our  situation,  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that 
nothing  more  could  be  done  for  the  preservation  of 
the  ship;  it  then  became  necessary  to  endeavour  to 
provide  and  to  find  means  for  the  preservation  of 
the  people.  Our  four  boats,  which  consisted  of  one 
launch,  one  eight-oared  pinnace,  and  two  six-oared 
yawls,  with  careful  hands  in  them,  were  kept  astern 
of  the  ship;  a  small  quantity  of  bread,  water,  and 
other  necessary  articles  were  put  into  them  ;  two 
canoes  which  we  had  on  board  were  lashed  to- 
gether and  put  into  the  water  ;  rafts  were  made,  and 
ill  floating  things  upon  deck  were  unlashed. 

"  About  half-past  six  in  the  morning  of  the  29th 
the  hold  was  full,  and  the  water  was  between  decks, 
and  it  also  washed  in  at  the  upper  deck  ports,  and 
there  were  strong  indications  that  the  ship  was  on 
the  very  point  of  sinking,  and  we  began  to  leap 
overboard  and  take  to  the  boats,  and  before  every- 
body could  get  out  of  her  she  actually  sunk.  The 
boats  continued  astern  of  the  ship  in  the  direction 
of  the  drift  of  the  tide  from  her,  and  took  up  the 
people  that  had  hold  of  rafts  and  other  floating 
things  that  had  been  cast  loose,  for  the  purpose  of 
supporting  them  on  the  water.  The  double  canot, 
thac  was  able  to  support  a  considerable  number  of 
men,  broke   adrift  with  only  one   man,   and  was 


THK    PANDORA.  149 

bulged  upon  a  reef,  and  afForded  us  no  assistance 
when  she  was  so  much  wanted  on  this  trying  and 
melancholy  occasion.  Two  of  the  boats  were  laden 
with  men,  and  sent  to  a  small  sandy  island  (or  key) 
a'oout  four  miles  from  the  wreck ;  and  1  remained 
near  the  ship  for  some  time  with  the  other  two 
boats,  and  picked  up  all  the  people  that  could  be 
seen,  and  then  followed  the  fiist  two  boats  to  the 
key ;  and  having  landed  the  men  and  cleared  the 
boats,  they  were  immediately  despatched  again  to 
look  about  the  wreck  and  the  adjoining  reef  for  any 
tliat  might  be  missing,  but  they  returned  without 
having  found  a  single  i)erson.  On  mustering  the 
people  that  were  saved,  it  appeared  that  eighty-nine 
of  the  ship's  company,  and  ten  of  the  mutineers  that 
had  been  prisoners  on  board,  answered  to  their 
names;  but  thirty-one  of  tlie  ship's  company  and 
four  mutineers  were  lost  with  the  ship." 

It  is  remarkable  enough  that  so  little  notice  is 
taken  of  the  nuitineers  in  this  narrative  of  the 
captain;  and  as  the  following  statement  is  supposed 
to  come  from  the  late  Lieutenant  Corner,  who  was 
second  lieutenant  of  the  Pandora,  it  is  entitled  to  be 
considered  as  authentic,  and  if  so.  Captain  Edwards 
must  have  deserved  the  character  ascribed  to  him 
of  being  altogether  destitute  of  the  common  feel- 
ings of  humanity. 

"Three  of  the  Bounty's  people,  Coleman,  Nor- 
nan,  and  M'Intosh,  were  now  let  out  of  irons,  and 
j>ent  to  work  at  the  pumps.  The  others  offered 
their  assistance,  and  begged  to  be  allowed  a  chance 
of  saving  their  lives ;  instead  of  which,  two  addi- 
tional sentinels  were  placed  over  them,  with  orders 
to  shoot  any  who  should  attempt  to  get  rid  of  their 

tters.  Seeing  no  prospect  of  escape,  they  betook 
themselves  to  prayer,  and  prepared  to  meet  their 
fate,  every  one  expecting  that  the  ship  would  soon 
go  to  pieces,  her  rudder  and  part  of  the  stern-post 
being  already  beat  awav." 


150  THE    PANDORA. 

When  the  ship  was  actually  shiking,  and  every 
effort  making  for  the  preservation  of  the  crew,  it  is 
asserted  that  "  no  notice  was  taken  of  the  prisoners, 
as  is  falsely  stated  by  the  author  of  the  '  Pandora's 
Voyage,'  although  Captain  Edwards  was  entreated 
by  Mr.  Heyv»'ood  to  have  mercy  upon  them,  when  he 
passed  over  their  prison,  to  make  his  own  escape, 
the  ship  then  lying  on  her  broadside  with  the  lar- 
board bow  completely  under  water.  Fortunately, 
the  master-at-armc,  either  by  accident  or  design, 
when  slipping  from  the  roof  of  '  Pandora's  Box' 
into  the  sea,  let  the  keys  of  the  irons  fall  through 
the  scuttle  or  entrance,  which  he  had  just  belbre 
opened,  and  thus  enabled  them  to  commence  their 
own  liberation,  in  which  they  were  generously 
assisted,  at  the  imminent  risk  of  his  own  life,  by 
WiUiam  Moulter,  a  boatswain's  mate,  who  clung  to 
the  coamings,  and  pulled  the  long  bars  through  the 
shackles,  saying  he  would  set  them  free,  or  go  to 
the  bottom  with  them. 

"  Scarcely  was  this  effected  when  the  ship  went 
dovi^n,  leaving  nothing  visible  but  the  topmast  cross- 
trees.  The  master-at-arms  and  all  the  sentinels 
sunk  to  rise  no  more.  The  cries  of  them  and  the 
other  drowning  men  were  awful  in  the  extreme ; 
and  more  than  half  an  hour  had  elapsed  before  the 
survivors  could  be  taken  up  by  the  boats.  Among 
the  former  were  Mr.  Stewart,  John  Sumner,  Richard 
Skinner,  and  Henry  Hillbrant,  the  whole  of  whom 
perished  with  their  hands  still  in  manacles. 

"  On  this  melancholy  occasion  Mr.  Hey  wood  was 
the  last  person  but  three  who  escaped  from  the 
prison,  into  which  the  water  had  already  found  its 
way  through  the  bulkhead  scuttles.  Jumping  over- 
board, he  seized  a  plank,  and  was  swimming  towards 
a  small  sandy  quay  (key)  about  three  miles  distant, 
when  a  boat  picked  him  up,  and  conveyed  him  thith.er 
in  a  state  of  nudity.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that 
James  Morrison  endeavoured  to  Yollow  his  young 


THE    PANDORA.  15 I 

companion's  example,  and,  although  handcuffed, 
managed  to  keep  afloat  until  a  boat  came  to  his 
assistance." 

This  account  vv^ould  appear  almost  incredible.  It 
is  true  men  are  sometimes  found  to  act  the  part  of 
inhuman  monsters,  but  then  they  are  generally  ac- 
tuated by  some  motive  or  extraordinary  excitement, 
here,  however,  there  was  neither;  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  condition  of  the  poor  prisoners  appealed 
most  forcibly  to  the  n»ercy  and  humanity  of  their 
jailer.  The  surgeon  of  the  ship  states,  in  his  ac- 
count of  her  loss,  that  as  soon  as  the  spars,  booms, 
hencoops,  and  other  buoyant  articles  were  cut  loose, 
"  the  prisoners  were  ordered  to  be  let  out  of  irons." 
One  would  imagine,  indeed,  that  the  officers  on 
this  dreadful  emergency  would  not  be  witness  to 
such  inhumanity  without  remonstrating  effectually 
against  keeping  tliese  unfortunate  men  confined  a 
moment  beyond  the  period  when  it  became  evident 
that  the  ship  must  sink.  It  will  be  seen,  however, 
presently,  from  Mr.  Heywood's  own  statement,  that 
they  were  so  kept,  and  that  the  brutal  and  unfeeling 
conduct  which  has  been  imputed  to  Captain  Edwards 
is  but  too  true. 

It  is  an  awful  moment  when  a  ship  takes  her  last 
heel,  just  before  going  down.  When  the  Pandora 
sunk,  the  surgeons  say,  "  the  crew  had  just  time  to 
leap  overboard,  accompanying  it  with  a  most  dread- 
ful yell.  The  cries  of  the  men  drowning  in  the 
water  were  at  first  awful  in  the  extreme  ;  but  as  they 
sunk  and  became  faint,  thej^died  away  by  degrees." 
How  accurately  has  Byron  described  t'he  whole  pro- 
gress of  a  shipwreck  to  the  final  catastrophe  !  He 
might  have  been  a  spectator  of  the  Pandora  at  the 
moment  of  her  foundering,  when 

She  gave  a  heel,  and  then  a  lurch  to  port, 

And,  going  down  head  foremost— sunk 


Then  rose  from  sea  to  sky  the  wild  farewell ! 
Then  shriek'd  the  timid  and  stood  still  the  brave ' 


152  THK    PANDORA. 

Then  some  leapM  overboard  with  dreadfnl  yell, 

As  eager  to  anticipate  their  grave ; 
And  the  sea  yawD'd  around  her  like  a  hell, 

And  down  she  suck'd  wii(i  her  the  whirling  wave, 
Like  one  who  grapples  with  his  enemy, 
And  strives  to  strangle  him  betore  he  die. 

And  first  one  universal  shriek  there  rush'd 

Louder  than  the  loud  ocean,  like  a  crash 
Of  echoing  thunder;  and  then  all  was  husli'd, 

Save  the  wild  wind  and  the  remorseless  dash 
Of  billows ;  but  at  intervals  there  gush'd, 

Accompanied  with  a  convulsive  splash, 
A  solitary  shriek — the  bubbling  017 
Of  some  strong  swimmer  in  his  agony. 

On  the  sandy  key  which  fortunntely  presentee 
itself  the  shipwrecked  seamen  hauled  np  the  boats, 
to  repair  those  that  were  damaged  and  to  stretch 
canvass  round  the  grimwales,  the  better  to  keep  out 
the  sea  from  breaking  into  them.  The  heat  of  the 
sun  and  the  reflection  from  the  sand  are  described  as 
excruciating,  and  the  thirst  of  the  men  was  rendered 
intolerable,  from  their  stomachs  being  filled  with  salt- 
water in  the  length  of  time  they  had  to  swim  before 
being  picked  up.  Mr.  Hamilton  says,  they  were 
greatly  disturbed  in  the  night  by  the  irregular  be- 
haviour of  one  of  the  seamen,  named  Conneli,  which 
made  them  suspect  he  had  got  drunk  with  some 
wine  that  had  been  saved ;  but  it  turned  out  that  the 
excruciating  torture  he  suffered  from  thirst  had  in- 
duced him  to  drink  salt-water ;  "  by  which  means  he 
went  mad,  and  died  in  the  sequel  of  the  voyage." 
It  seems,  a  small  keg  of  water  and  some  biscuits 
had  been  thrown  into  one  of  the  boats,  which  they 
found  by  calculation  would  be  sufficient  to  last  six- 
teen days,  on  an  allowance  of  two  wineglasses  of 
water  per  day  to  each  man,  and  a  very  small  quan- 
tity of  bread,  the  weight  of  which  was  accurately 
ascertained  b)'-  a  musket-ball  and  a  pair  of  wooden 
scales  made  for  each  boat. 

The  crew  and  the  prisoners  were  now  distributed 
among  the  four  boats.  At  Bligh's  "Mountainous 
Island"  they  entered  a  bay  where  swarms  of  natives 


THE    PANDORA.  153 

came  down  and  made  signs  for  tlieir  landing ;  but 
this  they  declined  to  do ;  on  which  an  arrow  was 
discharged  and  struck  one  of  the  boats.;  and  as  the 
savages  were  seen  to  be  collecting  their  bows  and 
arrows,  a  volley  of  muskets,  a  few  of  which  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  boats,  was  discharged,  which  put 
them  to  flight.  While  sailing  among  the  islands  and 
near  the  shore,  they  now  and  then  stopped  to  pick 
up  a  few  oysters  and  procure  a  little  fresh  water. 
On  the  2d  September  they  passed  the  north-west 
point  of  New-Holland,  and  launched  into  the  great 
Indian  Ocean,  having  a  voyage  of  about  a  thousand 
miles  still  to  perform. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Captain  Bligh's  people 
received  warmth  and  comfort  by  wringing  out  their 
clothes  in  salt  water.  The  same  practice  was  adopted 
by  the  crews  of  the  Pandora's  boats ;  but  the  doctor 
observes,  that  "  this  wetting  their  bodies  with  salt 
water  is  not  advisable,  if  protracted  beyond  three  or 
four  days,  as  after  that  time  the  great  absorption 
from  the  skin  that  takes  place  taints  the  fluids  with 
the  bitter  part  of  salt  water,  so  that  the  saliva  be- 
comes intolerable  in  the  mouth."  Their  mouths, 
indeed,  he  says,  became  so  parched,  that  few  at- 
tempted to  eat  the  slender  allowance  of  bread.  He 
also  remarks,  that  as  the  sufferings  of  the  people 
continued,  their  temper  became  cross  and  savage. 
In  the  captain's  boat,  it  is  stated,  one  of  the  muti- 
neers took  to  praying;  but  that  "the  captain,  sus- 
pecting the  purity  of  his  doctrines,  and  unwilling  that 
he  should  have  a  monopoly  of  the  business,  gave 
prayers  himself." 

On  the  13th  they  saw  the  island  of  Timor,  and  the 
next  morning  lauded  and  got  some  water  and  a  few 
small  fish  from  the  natives;  and  on  the  night  of  the 
15th  anchored  opposite  the  fort  of  Coupang.  No- 
thing could  exceed  the  kindness  and  hospitality  of 
the  governor  and  other  Dutch  officers  of  this  settle- 
ment, in  affording  every  possible  assistance   and 


154  THE    PANDORA 

relief  in  their  distressed  condition.  Having-  remained 
here  three  weeks,  they  embarked  on  the  6th  of  Oc- 
tober on  board  the  Rembang  Dutch  Indiaman,  and 
on  the  30th  anchored  at  Samaran^,  where  they  were 
agreeably  surprised  to  find  their  httle  tender,  which 
they  had  so  long  given  up  for  lost.  On  the  7th 
November  they  arrived  at  Batavia,  where  Captain 
Edwards  agreed  with  the  Dutch  East  India  Company, 
to  divide  the  whole  of  the  ship's  company  and 
prisoners  among  four  of  their  ships  proceeding  to 
Europe.  -The  latter  the  captain  took  with  him  in 
the  Vreedenburgh ;  but  finding  his  majesty's  ship 
Gorgon  at  the  Cape,  he  transhipped  himself  and 
prisoners,  and  proceeded  in  her  to  Spithead,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  19th  June,  1792. 

Captain  Edwards  in  his  meager  narrative  takes 
no  more  notice  of  his  prisoners  with  regard  to  the 
mode  in  which  they  were  disposed  of  at  Coupang 
and  Batai'ia,  than  he  does  when  the  Pandora  went 
down.  In  fact,  he  suppresses  all  information  re- 
specting them  from  the  day  in  which  they  were 
consigned  to  "  Pandora's  Box."  From  this  total  in- 
difference towards  these  unfortunate  men  and  their 
almost  unparalleled  sufferings,  Captain  Edwards 
must  be  set  down  as  a  man  whose  only  feeling  was 
to  stick  to  the  letter  of  his  instructions,  and  rigidly 
to  adhere  to  what  he  considered  the  strict  line  of  his 
duty ;  that,  he  was  a  man  of  a  cold  phlegmatic  dis- 
positioil,  whom  no  distress  could  move,  and  whose 
feelings  were  not  easily  disturbed  by  the  sufferings 
of  his  fellow-creatures.  He  appears  to  have  been 
one  of  those  mortals  who  might  say  with  Manfred — 

My  spirit  walk'd  not  with  the  souls  of  men  ; 

*  *  *  V  ;f:  *  * 

My  joys,  my  griefs,  my  passions,  and  my  powers 
Made  me  a  stranger ;  though  1  wore  the  form, 
I  had  no  sympathy  with  breathing  flesh  '. 

There  seems  to  have  been  a  general  feeling  at  ana 
before  the  court-martial,  that  Captain  Edwards  had 


THE    PANDORA.  155 

exeicised  a  harsh,  unnecessary,  and  undue  degree 
of  severity  on  his  prisoners.  It  is  the  custom, 
sanctioned  no  doubt  by  long  usage,  to  place  in  irons 
all  such  as  may  have  been  guilty  of  mutiny  in  a  ship 
of  Avar,  and  the  necessity  of  so  doing  is  obvious 
enough — to  prevent  in  the  most  eifectual  manner 
communication  with  the  rest  of  the  ship's  company, 
who  might  be  contaminated  by  their  intercourse  with 
such  mischievous  and  designing  men ;  men  whose 
crime  is  of  that  die  that,  if  found  guilty,  they  have 
little  hope  to  escape  the  punishment  of  death,  to 
which  a  mutineer  must  by  the  naval  articles  of  war 
be  sentenced ;  no  alternative  being  left  to  a  court- 
martial  in  such  a  case  but  to  pronounce  a  sentence 
of  acquittal  or  of  death. 

In  the  present  case,  however,  most  of  the  prisoners 
had  surrendered  themselves;  many  of  them  had 
taken  no  active  part  in  the  mutiny ;  and  others  had 
been  forcibly  compelled  to  remain  in  the  ship.  It 
was  not  likely,  therefore,  that  any  danger  could 
arise  from  ^ndulging  them  occasionally  and  in  turns 
with  a  few  hours  of  fresh  air  on  deck.  As  little 
danger  was  there  of  their  escaping;  where  indeed 
could  they  escape  to,  especially  when  the  ship  was 
going  down,  at  a  great  distance  from  any  shore,  and 
the  nearest  one  known  to  be  inhabited  by  savages? 
All  or  most  of  them  were  desirous  of  getting  home, 
and  throwing  tliemselves  on  God  and  their  country. 
The  captain,  however,  had  no  "  compunctious  visit- 
ings  of  nature"  to  shake  his  purpose,  which  seems 
to  have  been  to  keep  them  strictly  in  irons  during 
the  whole  passage,  and  to  deliver  them  over  in  that 
state  on  his  arrival  in  England. 

Perhaps  the  circumstance  of  the  crime  of  piracy 
being  superadded  to  that  of  mutiny,  may  have  ope'- 
rated  on  his  stern  nature,  and  induced  him  to  inflict 
a  greater  severity  of  punishment  than  he  might 
otherwise  have  done,  and  which  he  certainly  did  far 
beyond  the  letter  and  spirit  of  his  instructions.     He 


156  THE    PANDORA. 

mighl  have  considered,  that  in  all  ages  arid  among 
all  nations,  with  the  exception  of  some  of  the  Greek 
states,*  piracy  has  been  held  in  the  utmost  abhor- 
rence, and  those  guilty  of  it  treated  with  singiTlar 
and  barbarous  severity;  and  that  the  most  sangui- 
nary laws  were  established  for  the  protection  of  per- 
son and  property  in  maritime  adventure.  The  laws 
of  Oleron,  which  were  composed  under  the  imme- 
diate direction  of  our  Richard  I.,  and  became  the 
common  usage  among  maritime  states  whose  ves- 
sels passed  through  British  seas,  are  conceived  in  a 
spirit  of  the  most  barbarous  cruelty. f  Thus,  if  a 
poor  pilot  through  ignorance  lost  the  vessel,  he  was 
either  required  to  make  full  satisfaction  to  the  mer- 
chant for  damages  sustained,  or  to  lose  his  head. 
In  the  case  of  wrecks,  where  the  lord  of  the  coast 
(something  like  our  present  vice-admiral)  should  be 
found  to  be  in  league  with  the  pilots,  and  run  the 
ships  on  rocks  in  order  to  get  salvage,  the  said 
lord,  the  salvers,  and  all  concerned  are  declared  to 
be  accursed  and  excommunicated,  and  mmished  as 
thieves  and  robbers  ;  and  the  pilot  condehined  to  be 
hanged  upon  a  high  gibbet,  which  is  to  abide  and 
remain  to  succeeding  ages  on  the  place  where 
erected,  as  a  visible  caution  to  other  ships  sailing 
thereby.  Nor  was  the  fate  of  the  lord  of  the  coast 
less  severe, — his  property  was  to  be  confiscated,  and 
himself  fastened  to  a  post  in  the  midst  of  his  own 
mansion,  which,  being  fired  at  the  four  corners,  were 

*  The  Phoceans,  on  account  of  the  sterility  of  their  country,  were  in 
the  habit  of  practising  piracy,  which,  according  to  Justin,  was  held  to  be 
an  honourable  profession. 

t  These  laws  are  contained  in  an  ancient  authentic  book,  called  "  The 
Black  Book  of  the  Admiralty,"  in  which  a'l  things  (herein  comprehended 
are  engrossed  on  vellum,  in  an  ancient  character ;  which  has  been  from 
time  to  time  kept  in  the  registry  of  the  High  Ccurt  of  Admiralty  for  the 
use  of  the  judges.  When  Mr.  Luders  made  inquiry  at  the  office  in 
Doctors'  Commons,  in  1808,  he  was  informed  by  the  proper  officers  there 
that  they  had  never  seen  such  book,  and  knew  nothing  of  it,  nor  where 
to  find  it.  The  fact  is,  the  book  in  question  was  put  into  Lord  Tliurlow's 
han'J^  when  attorney-general,  and  never  relumed.  There  is  a  copy  of  it 
in  the  Admiralty 


THE    PANDORA.  157 

all  to  be  burned  together ;  the  walls  thereof  demol- 
ished, and  the  spot  on  which  it  stood  be  converted 
into  a  market-place  for  the  sale  only  of  hogs  and 
swine,  to  all  posterity. 

These  and  many  other  barbarous  usages  were 
transferred  into  the  institutions  of  Wisbuy,  which 
formed  the  jus  mevcatorum  for  a  long  period,  and  in 
which  great  care  was  taken  for  the  security  of  ships 
against  their  crews.  Among  other  articles  are  the 
following: — Whoever  draws  a  sword  upon  the  master 
of  a  vessel,  or  wilfully  falsifies  the  compass,  shall 
have  his  right  hand  nailed  to  the  mast.  Whoever 
behaves  riotously  shall  be  punished  by  being  keel- 
hauled. Whoever  is  guilty  of  rebelUon  (or  mutiny) 
shall  be  thrown  overboard. 

For  the  suppression  of  piracy,  the  Portuguese,  in 
their  early  intercourse  with  India,  had  a  summary 
punishment,  and  accompanied  it  with  a  terrible 
example,  to  deter  others  from  the  commission  of 
the  crime.  Whenever  they  took  a  pirate  ship,  they 
instantly  hanged  every  man,  carried  away  the  sails, 
rudder,  and  every  thing  that  was  valuable  in  the 
ship,  and  left  her  to  be  buffeted  about  by  the  winds 
and  the  waves,  with  the  carcasses  of  the  criminals 
dangling  from  the  yards,  a  horrid  object  of  terror  to 
aU  who  might  chance  to  fall  in  with  her.  Even  to 
this  day  a  spice  of  the  laws  of  Oleron  still  remains 
in  the  maritime  code  of  European  nations,  as  far 
as  regards  mutiny  and  pirac)^;  and  a  feeling  of  this 
kind  may  have  operated  on  the  mind  of  Captain 
Edwards,  especially  as  a  tendency  even  to  mutiny, 
or  mutinous  expressions,  are  considered,  by  the  usage 
of  the  service,  as  justifying  the  commander  of  a 
ship  of  war  to  put  the  otfenders  hi  irons.  Besides, 
tho  treatment  of  Bligh,  whose  admirable  conduct 
under  the  unparalleled  sufferings  of  himself  and  all 
who  accompanied  him  in  the  open  boat,  had  roused 
the  people  of  England  to  the  highest  pitch  of  indig- 


158  THE    PANDORA. 

nation  against  Christian  and  his  associates,  in  which 
Edwards  no  doubt  participated. 

The  following-  letter  of  Mr.  Peter  Heywood  to 
his  mother  removes  all  doubt  as  to  the  character 
and  conduct  of  this  officer.  It  is  an  artless  and 
pathetic  tale,  and,  as  his  amiable  sister  says, 
"  breathes  not  a  syllable  inconsistent  with  truth  and 
honour." 

"Batavia,  November  20th,  1791. 
"  My  ever-honoured  and  dearest  Mother, 
"  At  length  the  time  has  arrived  when  you  are 
once  more  to  hear  from  your  ill-fated  son,  whose 
conduct  at  the  capture  of  that  ship  in  which  it  was 
my  fortune  to  embark  has,  I  fear,  from  what  has 
since  happened  to  me,  been  grossly  misrepresented 
to  you  by  Lieutenant  Bligh,  who,  by  not  knowing 
the  real  cause  of  my  remaining  on  board,  naturally 
suspected  me,  unhappily  for  me,  to  be  a  coadjutor  in 
the  mutiny ;  but  I  never,  to  my  knowledge,  while 
under  his  command,  behaved  myself  in  a  manner 
unbecoming  the  station  I  occupied,  nor  so  much  as 
even  entertained  a  thought  derogatory  to  his  honour, 
so  as  to  give  him  the  least  grounds  for  entertaining 
an  opinion  of  me  so  ungenerous  and  undeserved ; 
for  I  flatter  myself  he  cannot  give  a  character  of 
my  conduct,  while  I  was  under  his  tuition,  that  could 
merit  the  slightest  scrutiny.  Oh !  my  dearest  mo- 
ther, I  hope  you  have  not  so  easily  credited  such  an 
account  of  me  ;  do  but  let  me  vindicate  my  conduct, 
and  declare  to  you  the  true  cause  of  my  remaining 
in  the  ship,  and  you  will  then  see  how  little  I  deserve 
censure,  and  how  I  have  been  injured  by  so  gross 
an  aspersion.  I  shall  then  give  you  a  short  and 
cursory  account  of  what  has  happened  to  me  since  ; 
but  I  am  afraid  to  say  a  hundredth  part  of  what  1 
have  got  in  store,  for  I  am  not  allowed  the  use  of 
writing  materials,  if  known,  so  that  this  is  done  by 
stealth ;  but  if  it  should  ever  come  to  your  hands,  it 


THE    PANDORA.  159 

will,  I  hope,  have  the  desired  effect  of  removing 
your  uneasiness  on  my  account,  when  1  assure  you, 
before  the  face  of  God,  of  my  innocence  of  what  is 
laid  to  my  charge.  How  I  came  to  remain  on  hoard 
was  thus  : 

"The  morning  the  ship  was  taken,  it  being  my 
watch  below,  happening  to  awake  just  after  day- 
light, and  looking  out  of  my  hammock,  I  saw  a  man 
sitting  upon  the  arm-chest  in  the  main  hatchway, 
witli  a  drawn  cutlass  in  his  hand,  the  reason  of 
which  I  could  not  divine ;  so  I  got  out  of  bed  and 
inquired  of  him  what  w-as  the  cause  of  it.  He  told 
me  that  Mr.  Christian,  assisted  by  some  of  the  ship's 
company,  had  seized  the  captain  and  put  him  in  con- 
finement; had  taken  the  command  of  the  ship,  and 
meant  to  carry  Bligh  home  a  prisoner,  in  order  to 
try  him  by  court-martial  for  his  long  tyrannical  and 
oppressive  conduct  to  his  people.  I  was  quite 
thunderstruck;  and,  hurrying  into  my  berth  again, 
told  one  of  my  messmates,  whom  I  awakened  out 
of  his  sleep,  what  had  happened.  Then  dressing 
myself,  I  went  up  the  fore-hatchway,  and  saw  what 
he  had  told  me  was  but  too  true;  and  again  I  asked 
some  of  the  people  who  were  under  arms  what 
was  going  to  be  done  with  the  captain,  who  was 
then  on  the  larboard  side  of  the  quarter-deck,  with 
his  hands  tied  behind  his  Dack,  and  Mr.  Christian 
alongside  him  with  a  pistol  and  drawn  bayonet.  1 
now  heard  a  very  different  story,  and  that  the  cap- 
tain was  to  be  sent  ashore  to  Tofoa  in  the  launch, 
and  that  those  who  would  not  join  M^^  Christian 
might  either  accompany  the  captain,  or  would  be 
taken  in  irons  to  Otaheite  and  left  there.  The 
relation  of  two  stories  so  different  left  me  unable 
to  judge  which  could  be  the  true  one;  but,  seeing' 
them  hoisting  the  boats  out,  it  seemed  to  prove  the 
latter. 

"  In  this  trying  situation,  young  and  inexperienced 
as  T  was,  and  without  an  adviser  (every  person  being, 


160  THE    PANDORA. 

as  it  were,  infatuated,  and  not  knowing-  what  to  do), 
I  remained  for  a  while  a  silent  spectator  of  what 
was  going-  on ;  and  after  revolving  the  matter  in  my 
mind,  I  determined  to  choose  what  I  thought  the 
less  of  two  evils,  and  stay  by  the  ship ;  for  I  had 
no  doubt  that  those  who  went  on  shore  in  the 
launch  would  be  put  to  death  by  the  savage  natives, 
whereas  the  Otaheitans  being  a  humane  and  generous 
race,  one  might  have  a  hope  of  being  kindly  received, 
and  remain  there  until  the  arrival  of  some  ship, 
which  seemed,  to  silly  me,  the  most  consistent  with 
reason  and  rectitude. 

"While  this  resolution  possessed  my  mind,  at  the 
same  time  lending  my  assistance  to  hoist  out  the 
boats,  the  hurry  and  confusion  affairs  were  in,  and 
thinking  my  intention  just,  I  never  thought  of  going 
to  Mr.  Bligh  for  advice ;  besides,  what  confirmed 
me  in  it  was,  my  seeing  two  experienced  officers, 
when  ordered  into  the  boat  by  Mr.  Christian,  desire 
his  permission  to  remain  in  the  ship,  (one  of  whom 
my  own  messmate,  Mr.  Hayward,)  and  I  being  as- 
sisting to  clear  the  launch  of  yams,  he  asked  me 
what  r  intended  to  do  ;  I  told  him,  to  remain  in  the 
ship.  Now  this  answer,  I  imagine,  he  has  told  Mr. 
Bligh  I  made  to  him  ;  from  which,  together  with  my 
not  speaking  to  him  that  morning,  his  suspicions  of 
me  have  arisen,  construing  my  conduct  into  what  is 
foreign  to  my  nature. 

"  Thus,  my  dearest  mother,  it  was  all  owing  to 
my  youth  and  unadvised  inexperience,  but  has  been 
interpreted  into  villany  and  disregard  of  my  coun- 
try's laws,  the  ill  effects  of  which  I  at  present,  and 
still  am  to  labour  under  for  some  months  longer. 
And  now,  after  what  I  have  asserted,  I  may  still 
once  more  retrieve  my  injured  reputation,  be  again 
reinstated  in  the  affection  and  favour  of  the  most 
tender  of  mothers,  and  be  still  considered  as  her  evei; 
dutiful  son. 

"  1  was  not  undeceived  m  my  erroneous  decisio^i 


THE     PANDORA. 


163 


,-eated  by  our  kind  and  friendly  natives  witli  a 
till  too  L-|.y  ^^^  humanity  almost  unparalleled,  and 
launch  ;  ^^^  could  hardly  have  expected  iVom  the 
arms,  ont -j-^gj  people. 

messmatf^  brief— having  remained  here  till  the  latter 
berth  (Mr.  ^,^<^^  ^-gi^  o„  the  26th  of  that  month  his 
if  1  was  noi-^ip  Pandora  arrived,  and  had  scarcely 
upon  which  h.-jg,-^  j-j^y  messmate  and  I  went  on  board 
as  remaining  bv.gj^.eg  |^i^Q^yi-j.  and  having  learned  from 
below  with  him  .^g  who  had  been  off  in  a  canoe,  that 
make  baste  to  g(^mate  Mr.  Hayward,  now  promoted 
that  by  remaimngytenant,  was  on  board,  we  asked 
equal  share  of  gun  .  j^e  might  prove  the  assertions  of 
I  reluctantly  follow  ,ji-  he  (like  all  worldlinirs  when 
because  I  knew  no  bt-  >|  received  us  very  coolly,  and 
boat  swimming  very  dc  our  affairs;  yet  formerly, 
being  far  distant,  the  thoi.fe^otherlv  love  and  friend- 
by  the  natives,  and  the  self-^  much  against  us,  we 
first  intention  being  just,  all  the n^d  looked  upon— 
almost  staggered  m.y  resolution;  iiVa,ins.  A  rebuff 
ferred  my  companion's  judgment  to  n.-ed  to  trou- 
we  both  jumped  down  the  main-hatchway  to  p»  but  to 
ourselves  for  the  boat;  but,  no  sooner  were  we  /xf 
the  berth,  than  the  master-at-arms  ordered  the 
sentry  to  keep  us  both  in  the  berth  till  he  should 
receive  orders  to  release  us.  We  desired  the  mas- 
ter-at-arms to  acquaint  Mr.  Bligh  of  our  intention, 
which  we  had  reason  to  think  he  never  did,  nor  were 
we  permitted  to  come  on  deck  until  the  launch  was 
a  long  way  astern.  I  now,  when  too  late,  saw  my 
error. 

"  At  the  latter  end  of  May  we  got  to  an  island 
to  the  southward  of  Taheite,  called  Tooboui,  where 
they  intended  to  rgake  a  settlement;  but,  finding  no 
stock  there  of  any  kind,  they  agreed  to  go  to  Ta- 
h(^ite,  and.  after  procuring  hogs  and  fowls,  to  return 
to  Tooboui  and  remain.  So,  on  the  6th  June,  we 
arrived  at  Taheite,  where  I  was  in  hopes  1  might 
find  an  opportunity  of  running  away  and  remaining 
on  shore,  but  1  could  not  effect  it,  as  there  was 
O  2 


160 


THE    PANDORA. 


as  It  were,  infatuated,  and  not  knowino- what^^  ^"^^ 
I  remained  for  a  while  a  silent  spectator  ^^  ^^^'^"' 
was  going  on ;  and  after  revolving  the  niat^^  ^^^'^^ 
mind,  I  determined  to  choose  what  I  thc*"^^  ^^^" 
less  of  two  evils,  and  stay  by  the  ship ;  knowing, 
no  doubt  that  those  who  went  on  sh  ^^^^  means 
launch  would  be  put  to  death  by  the  sa^'^^^  intended 
whereas  the  Otaheitans  being  a  humane-"^'P^"^^t^^^^^^'' 
race,  one  might  have  a  hope  of  beino-  }-t  as  content  as 
and  remain  there  until  the  arriva'^  ^^^^^  "^^^^^  ^^'^ 
which  seemed,  to  silly  me,  the  mos®  ^^^en  out,  and 
reason  and  rectitude.  rry  me  to  Taheite, 

"While  this  resolution  possess- o^  pursuit.*  But 
same  time  lending  my  assistar  we  had  no  occasion 
boats,  the  hurry  and  confus^-^^zard,  for,  upon  return 
thinking  my  intention  just  ^^^  the  latter  end  of  August, 
to  Mr.  Bligh  for  advic-vas  almost  built,  but  nothing 
me  in  it  was,  my  s^'md  as  the  natives  could  not  be 
when  ordered  in«.uly  terms,  and  with  whom  we  had 
his  permissiosnes,  and  narrow  escapes  from  being 
my  own  ^  them,  and,  what  was  still  worse,  internal 
sistins  and  discontent, — these  things  determined  part 
"Of  the  people  to  leave  the  island  and  go  to  Taheite, 
which  was  carried  by  a  majority  of  votes. 

"This  being  carried  into  execution  on  the  22d 
September,  and  having  anchored  in  Matavai  Bay, 
the  next  morning  my  messmate  (Mr.  Stewart)  and 
I  went  on  shore,  to  the  house  of  an  old  landed  pro- 
prietor, our  former  friend ;  and  being  now  set  free 
from  a  lawless  crew,  determined  to  remain  as  much 
apart  from  them  as  possible,  and  wait  patiently  for 
the  arrival  of  a  ship.  Fourteen  more  of  the  Boun- 
ty's people  came  likewise  on  shore,  and  Mr.  Chris- 
tian and  eight  men  went  away  with  the  ship,  but 
God  knows  whither.     While  we  remained  here  we 

*  Morrison  mentions,  in  his  journal,  a  plan  to  this  effect,  contrived 
by  Hevwood,  Stewart,  and  hinnself,  but  observes,  "It  was  a  foulisli 
attempt,  as,  had  we  met  with  bad  weather  our  crazy  boat  wouid  cer 
tainly  have  made  us  a  colTin  " 


'     •  THE    PANDORA.  163 

were  treated  by  our  kind  and  friendly  natives  witli  a 
generosity  and  humanity  almost  unparalleled,  and 
such  as  we  could  hardly  have  expected  irom  tJie 
most  civilized  people. 

"  To  be  brief — having:  remained  here  till  the  latter 
end  of  March,  1791,  on  the  26th  of  that  month  his 
majesty's  ship  Pandora  arrived,  and  had  scarcely 
anchored,  when  my  messmate  and  I  went  on  board 
and  made  ourselves  known;  and  having  learned  from 
one  of  the  natives  who  had  been  off  in  a  canoe,  that 
our  former  messmate  Mr.  Hayward,  now  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  was  on  board,  we  asked 
for  him,  supposing  he  might  prove  the  assertions  of 
our  innocence.  But  he  (like  all  worldlings  when 
raised  a  little  in  life)  received  us  very  coolly,  and 
pretended  ignorance  of  our  affairs;  yet  formerly, 
he  and  I  were  bound  in  brotherly  love  and  friend- 
ship. Appearances  being  so  much  against  us,  we 
were  ordered  to  be  put  in  irons,  and  looked  upon — 
oh,  infernal  words  ! — as  piratical  villains.  A  rebuff 
so  severe  as  this  was,  to  a  person  unused  to  tiou- 
bles,  would  perhaps  have  been  insupportable;  but  to 
me,  who  had  now  been  long  inured  to  the  frowns  of 
fortune,  and  feehng  myself  supported  by  an  inward 
consciousness  of  not  deserving  it,  it  was  received 
with  the  greatest  composure,  and  a  full  determina- 
tion to  bear  it  with  patience. 

"My  sufferings,  however,  I  have  not  power  to 
describe;  but  though  they  are  great,  yet  I  thank  God 
for  enabling  me  to  bear  them  without  repining.  I 
endeavour  to  qualify  my  affliction  with  these  three 
considerations,  first,  my  innocence  not  deserving 
them;  secondly,  that  the}^  cannot  last  long;  and 
thirdly,  that  the  change  may  be  for  the  better.  The 
first  improves  my  hopes,  the  second  my  patience, 
and  the  third  my  courage.  I  am  young  in  yeais, 
but  old  in  what  the  world  calls  adversity  ;  and  it  has 
had  such  an  effect,  as  to  make  me  consider  it  the 
most  beneficial  incident  that  could  have  occurred  at 


164  THE    PANDORA. 

my  age.  It  has  made  me  acquainted  with  three 
things  which  are  httle  known,  and  as  httle  believed 
by  any  but  those  who  have  felt  their  effects :  first, 
the  viilany  and  censoriousness  of  mankind ;  sec- 
ondly, the  futility  of  all  human  hopes;  and  thirdly, 
the  happiness  of  being  content  in  whatever  station 
it  may  please  Providence  to  place  me.  In  short,  it 
has  made  me  more  of  a  philosopher,  than  many  years 
of  a  hfe  spent  in  ease  and  pleasure  would  have 
done. 

"  As  they  will  no  doubt  proceed  to  the  greatest 
lengths  against  me,  I  being  the  only  surviving  officer, 
and  they  most  inchned  to  believe  a  prior  story,  all 
that  can  be  said  to  confute  it  will  probably  be  looked 
upon  as  mere  falsity  and  invention.  Should  that  be 
my  unhappy  case,  and  they  resolved  upon  my  de- 
struction as  an  example  to  futurity,  may  God  enable 
me  to  bear  my  fate  with  the  fortitude  of  a  man,  con- 
scious that  misfortune,  not  any  misconduct,  is  the 
cause,  and  that  the  Almighty  can  attest  my  inno- 
cence. Yet  why  should  I  despond  1  I  have,  I  hope, 
still  a  friend  in  that  Providence  which  hath  pre- 
served me  amid  many  greater  dangers,  and  upon 
whom  alone  I  now  depend  for  safety.  God  will 
always  protect  those  who  deserve  it.  These  are 
the  sole  considerations  which  have  enabled  me  to 
make  myself  easy  and  content  under  my  past  mis- 
fortunes. 

"  Twelve  more  of  the  people  who  were  at  Ota- 
heite  having  delivered  themselves  up,  there  was  a 
sort  of  prison  built  on  the  after-part  of  the  quarter- 
deck, into  which  we  were  all  put  in  close  confine- 
ment, with  both  legs  and  both  hands  in  irons,  and 
were  treated  with  great  rigour,  not  being  allowed 
ever  to  get  out  of  this  den ;  and,  being  obliged  to 
eat,  drink,  sleep,  and  obey  the  calls  of  nature  here, 
you  may  form  some  idea  of  the  disagreeable  situa- 
tion I  must  have  been  in,  unable  as  I  was  to  help 
myself  (being  deprived  of  the  use  of  both  my  legs 


THE    PANDORA.  i65 

and  hands),  but  by  no  means  adequate  to  the 
reaUty. 

"  Oti  the  9th  May  we  left  Otaheite,  and  proceeded 
to  the  Friendly  Islands,  and  about  the  beginning  of 
August  got  in  among  the  reefs  of  New-Holland,  to 
endeavour  to  discover  a  passage  through  them  ;  but 
it  was  not  effected,  for  the  Pandora,  ever  unlucky, 
and  as  if  devoted  by  Heaven  to  destruction,  was 
driven  by  a  current  upon  the  patch  of  a  reef,  and  on 
which,  there  being  a  heavy  surf,  she  was  soon 
almost  bulged  to  pieces ;  but  having  thrown  all  the 
guns  on  one  side  overboard,  and  the  tide  flowing  at 
the  same  time,  she  beat  over  the  reef  into  a  basin, 
and  brought  up  in  fourteen  or  fifteen  fathoms ;  but 
she  was  so  much  damaged  while  on  the  reef,  that 
imagining  she  would  go  to  pieces  every  moment,  we 
had  contrived  to  wrench  ourselves  out  of  our  irons, 
and  applied  to  the  captain  to  have  mercy  on  us,  and 
suffer  us  to  take  our  chance  for  the  preservation  of 
our  lives ;  but  it  was  all  in  vain — he  was  even  so 
inhuman  as  to  order  us  all  to  be  put  in  irons  again, 
though  the  ship  was  expected  to  go  down  every  mo- 
ment, being  scarcely  able  to  keep  her  under  with  all 
the  pumps  at  work. 

"In  this  miserable  situation,  with  an  expected 
death  before  our  eyes,  without  the  least  hope  of 
relief,  and  in  the  most  trying  state  of  suspense,  we 
spent  the  night,  the  ship  being  by  the  hand  of  Provi- 
dence kept  up  till  the  morning.  The  boats  by  this 
time  had  all  been  prepared ;  and  as  the  captain  and 
ofncers  were  coming  upon  the  poop  or  roof  of  our 
prison,  to  abandon  the  ship,  the  water  being  then  up 
to  the  combings  of  the  hatchways,  we  again  im- 
plored his  mercy ;  upon  which  he  sent  the  corf>oral 
and  an  armourer  down  to  let  some  of  us  out  of 
irons,  but  three  only  were  suffered  to  go  up,  and  the 
scuttle  being  then  clapped  on,  and  the  master-at- 
arms  upon  it,  the  armourer  had  only  time  to  let  two 
oersons  out  of  iron  >,  the  rest,  except  three,  letting 
N 


166  THE  PANDORA. 

themselves  out ;  two  of  these  three  went  down  with 
them  on  their  hands,  and  the  third  was  picked  np. 
She  now  began  to  keel  over  to  port  so  very  much, 
that  the  master-at-arms,  sliding  overboard,  and 
leaving  the  scuttle  vacant,  we  all  tried  to  get  up,  and 
I  was  the  last  out  but  three.  The  water  was  then 
pouring  in  at  the  bulk-head  scuttles,  yet  I  succeeded 
in  getting  out,  and  was  scarcely  in  the  sea  when  I 
could  see  nothing  above  it  but  the  cross-trees,  and 
nothing  around  me  but  a  scene  of  the  greatest  dis- 
tress. I  took  a  plank  (being  stark-naked)  and  swam 
towards  an  island  about  three  miles  off,  but  was 
picked  up  on  my  passage  by  one  of  the  boats.  When 
we  got  ashore  to  the  small  sandy  key,  we  found 
there  were  thirty-four  men  drowned,  four  of  Avhom 
were  prisoners,  and  among  these  was  my  unfortu- 
nate messmate  (Mr.  Stewart) ;  ten  of  us,  and  eighty- 
nine  of  the  Pandora's  crew,  were  saved. 

"  When  a  survey  was  made  of  what  provisions 
had  been  saved,  they  were  found  to  consist  of  two 
or  three  bags  of  bread,  two  or  three  beakers  of 
water,  and  a  little  wine  ;  so  we  subsisted  three  days 
upon  two  wine  glasses  of  water,  and  two  ounces  of 
bread  per  day.  On  the  1st  September  we  left  the 
island,  and  on  the  16th  arrived  at  Coupang  in  the 
island  of  Timor,  having  been  on  short  allowance 
eighteen  days.  We  were  put  in  confinement  in  the 
castle,  where  we  remained  till  October,  and  on  the 
5th  of  that  month  were  sent  on  board  a  Dutch  ship 
bound  for  Batavia. 

"  Though  I  have  been  eight  months  in  close  con- 
finement in  a  hot  climate,  I  have  kept  my  health  in  a 
most  surprising  manner,  without  the  least  indispo- 
sition, and  am  still  perfectly  well  in  every  respect,  in 
mind  as  well  as  body ;  but  without  a  friend,  and  only 
a  shirt  and  pair  of  trousers  to  put  on,  and  carry  me 
home.  Yet  with  ail  this  1  have  a  contented  mind, 
entirely  resigned  to  the  will  of  Providence,  vvliich 


THE    PANDORA.  167 

conduct  alone  enables  me  to  soar  above  the  reach 
cf  iinhappiness." 

In  a  subsequent  letter  to  his  sister  he  says,  "  I 
send  you  two  little  sketches  of  the  manner  in  which 
his  majesty's  ship  Pandora  went  down  on  the  29th 
August,  and  of  the  appearance  which  we  who  sur- 
vived made  on  the  small  sandy  key  within  the  reef, 
about  ninety  yards  long  5nd  sixty  broad,  in  all 
ninety-nine  souls ;  here  we  remained  three  days, 
subsisting-  on  a  single  wineglass  of  wine  or  water, 
and  two  ounces  of  bread  a  day,  with  no  shelter  from 
the  meridian  and  then  vertical  sun.  Captain  Ed- 
wards had  tents  erected  for  himself  and  his  people, 
and  we  prisoners  petitioned  him  for  an  old  sail 
which  was  lying  useless,  part  of  the  wreck,  but  he 
refused  it ;  and  the  only  shelter  we  had  was  to  bury 
ourselves  up  to  the  neck  in  the  burning  sand,  which 
scorched  the  skin  entirely  off  our  bodies,  for  we 
were  quite  naked,  and  we  appeared  as  if  dipped  in 
large  tubs  of  boiling  water.  We  were  nineteen 
days  in  the  same  miserable  situation  before  we 
landed  at  Coupang.  1  was  in  the  ship,  in  irons, 
hands  and  feet,  much  longer  than  till  the  position 
you  now  see  her  in,  the  poop  alone  being  above 
water  (and  that  knee  deep),  when  a  kind  Provi 
dence  assisted  me  to  get  out  of  irons  and  escape 
from  her." 

The  treatment  of  these  unhappy  men  was  almost 
as  bad  at  Batavia  as  in  the  Pandora,  being  closely 
confined  in  irons  in  the  castle,  and  fed  on  very  bad 
provisions;  and  the  hardships  they  endured  on  their 
passage  to  England,  in  Dutoli  ships,  were  very 
severe,  having,  as  he  says,  slept  on  nothing  but  hard 
boards  on  wet  canvass,  without  any  bed,  for  seven- 
teen months,  always  subsisting  on  short  allowance 
of  execrable  provisions,  and  without  any  clothes  for 
some  time,  except  such  as  the  charity  of  two  young 
men  in  the  ship  supplied  him  with.  He  had  during 
his  confinement  at  Batavia  learned  to  make  straw 


168  THE    PANDORA. 

hats,  and  finished  several  with  both  his  hands  in 
fetters,  which  he  sold  for  half  a  crown  apiece ;  and 
with  the  produce  of  these  he  procured  a  suit  of 
coarse  clothes,  in  which,  with  a  cheerful  and  hght 
heart,  notwithstanding  all  his  sufferings,  he  arrived 
at  Portsmouth.  How  he  preserved  his  health  under 
the  dreadful  sufferings  he  endured,  and  in  eight 
months'  close  confinemAit  in  a  hot  climate,  is  quite 
wonderful. 

On  the  second  day  after  the  arrival  of  the  Gorgon 
at  Spithead  the  prisoners  were  transferred  to  the 
Hector,  commanded  by  Captain  (the  late  Admiral 
Sir  George)  Montague,  where  they  were  treated 
with  the  greatest  humanity,  and  eveiy  indulgence 
allowed  that  could  with  propriety  be  extended  to 
men  in  their  unhappy  situation,  until  the  period 
when  they  were  to  be  arraigned  before  the  com- 
petent authority,  and  put  on  their  trials  for  mutiny 
and  piracy,  which  did  not  take  place  until  the  month 
of  September. 

In  this  period  of  anxious  and  awful  suspense,  a 
most  interesting  correspondence  was  carried  on  be- 
tween this  unfortunate  youth  and  his  numerous 
friends,  which  exhibits  the  character  of  himself  and 
the  whole  family  in  the  most  amiable  and  affec- 
tionate colours,  and  in  a  more  particular  manner,  of 
that  adorable -creature,  his  sister  Nessy,  who,  in 
one  of  her  letters,  accounts  for  the  pecuhar  warmth 
of  her  attachment  and  expressions  by  their  being 
nearly  of  the  same  age,  and  engaged  in  the  same 
pursuits,  whether  of  "study  or  amusement,  in  their 
juvenile  years.  The  poor  mother,  on  hearing  of 
his  arrival,  thus  addresses  her  unfortunate  son  ; 

''Isle  of  Man,  June  29M,  1792. 

"  Oh !  my  ever  dearly-beloved  and  long-lost  son, 

with  what  anxiety  have  I  waited  for  this  period  !     1 

have  'counted  the  days,  hours,  and  even  minutes  since 

I  first  heard  of  the  hoirjd  and  unfortunate  mutiny 


THE    PANDORA.  69 

which  has  so  long-  deprived  me  of  my  dearest  boy ; 
but  now  the  happy  time  is  come  wlien,  though  I 
cannot  have  the  unspeakable  pleasure  of  seeing  and 
embracing  you,  yet  1  hope  Ave  may  be  allowed  to 
correspond ;  surely  there  can  be  nothing  improper 
in  a  liberty  of  this  sort  between  an  affectionate 
mother  and  her  dutiful  and  beloved  son,  who,  I  am 
perfectly  convinced,  was  never  guilty  of  the  crime 
he  has  been  suspected  of  by  those  who  did  know 
his  worth  and  truth.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  but 
that  the  all  gracious  God,  wiio  of  his  good  provi- 
dence has  protected  you  so  long,  and  brought  you 
safe  through  so  many  dangers  and  difficulties,  will 
still  protect  you,  and  at  your  trial  make  your  inno- 
cence appear  as  clear  as  the  light.  All  your  letters 
have  come  safe  to  me,  and  to  ray  very  dear  good 
Nessy.  Ah !  Peter,  with  w'hat  real  joy  did  we  all 
receive  them,  and  how  happy  are  we  that  you  are 
now  safe  in  England !  I  will  endeavour,  my  dearest 
lad,  to  make  your  present  situation  as  comfortable 
as  possible,  for  so  affectionate  and  good  a  son  de- 
#  serves  my  utmost  attention.  Nessy  has  written  to 
our  faithful  and  kind  friend,  Mr.  Heywood,  of  Ply- 
mouth, for  his  advice,  whether  it  would  be  proper 
for  her  to  come  up  to  you;  if  he  consents  to  her  so 
doing,  not  a  moment  shall  be  lost,  and  how  happy 
shall  I  be  when  shells  with  you !  Such  a  sister  as 
she  is  !  Oh  I  Peter,  she  is  a  most  valuable  girl,"  &c 
On  the  same  day  this  "  most  valuable  girl"  thus 
writes : — * 

*  The  following  shows  how  much  her  fond  mind  was  fixed  on  her 
unfortunate  brother : 

On  the  Arrival  of  my  dearly-beloved  Brother,  Peter  Heywood.  in  Eng 
land,  VTitten  while  a  Prison  t^,  and  waiting  the  Event  of  his  Tried  on 
board  his  Majesty's  Ship  Hector. 

CoMK,  centle  Muse,  I  woo  thee  once  again, 
Nor  woo  thee  now  in  mel;\iicholy  strain  ; 
Assist  my  verse  in  cheerful  mood  lo  flow, 
Nor  let  this  tender  bosom  Anguish  know ; 


170  THE    PANDORA. 

'"My  dearest  and  most  beloved  brother, — Thanks 
to  that  Almighty  Providence  which  has  so  mira- 
culously preserved  you,  your  fond,  anxious,  and,  till 
^ovv,  miserable  Nessy,  is  at  last  permitted  to  ad- 
dress the  object  of  her  tenderest  affection  in  Eng 
land !  Oh !  my  admirable,  my  heroic  boy,  what 
have  we  felt  on  your  account !  yet  how  small,  how 
infinitely  trifling  was  the  misery  of  our  situation 
when  compared  with  the  horror  of  yours  !  Let  me 
now,  however,  Avith  confidence  hope  that  the  God 
of  all  mercies  has  not  so  long  protected  you  in  vain, 
but  will  at  length  crown  3^our  fortitude  and  pious 
resignation  to  his  will  with  that  peace  and  happiness 
you  so  richly  merit.  How  blest  did  your  delightful 
and  yet  dreadful  letter  from  Batavia  make  us  all ! 
Surely,  my  beloved  boy,  you  could  not  for  a  mo- 
ment imagine  we  ever  supposed  you  guilty  of  the 
crime  of  mutiny'.  No,  no ;  believe  me,  no  earthly 
power  could  have  persuaded  us  that  it  was  possible 
for  you  to  do  any  thing  inconsistent  with  strict 
honour  and  duty.  So  well  did  we  know  your  ami- 
able, steady  principles,  that  we  were  assured  your 

Fill  all  my  soul  with  notes  of  I.ove  and  Joy, 
No  more  let  Grief  each  anxious  thou<rht  employ. 
With  Rapture  now  alone  this  heart  shall  burn, 
And  Joy,  my  Lycidas,  for  thy  return  I 
Retiirn'd  with  every  charm,  acc.omplish'd  youth, 
Adorn'd  with  Virtue,  Innocence,  and  Truth; 
Wrapp'd  ill  thy  conscious  merit  still  remain, 
Till  I  behold  ihy  lovely  form  again. 
Protect  him,  Hcav'n,  from  dangers  and  alarms, 
And  oil  I  restore  liiin  to  a  sister's  arms  ; 
Support  his  fortitude  in  thai  dread  hour 
VVh''n  he  must  brave  Suspicion's  cruel  pow'r; 
Grant  him  lo  plead  with  Eloquence  divine, 
In  ev'ry  word  let  Truth  and  Honour  shine ; 
Through  eac!i  sweet  accent  let  Persuasion  flow  ; 
With  manly  firmness  let  his  bosom  glow, 
Till  strong  Conviction,  in  each  faceexpress'd. 
Grants  a  reward  by  Honour's  self  confess'd. 
Let  thy  Omnipotence'  preserve  him  still. 
And  all  his  future  days  with  Pleasure  fill ; 
And  oh  I  kind  Heav'n,  though  now  in  chains  he  be, 
Restore  him  soon  to  Friendship,  Love,  and  me. 
August  btk  11^2,  Isle  of  Man.  Nkssy  Heywoo* 


THE    PANDORA.  171 

reasons  for  staying  behind  would  turn  out  s'jch  as 
you  represent  them  ;  and  I  firmly  trust  that  Provi- 
dence will  at  length  restore  you  to  those  dear  and 
affectionate  friends,  who  can  know  no  happiness 
until  they  are  blessed  with  your  loved  society. 
Take  care  of  your  precious  health,  my  angehc  boy. 
I  shall  soon  be  with  you ;  I  have  written  to  INIr. 
Heywood  (your  and  our  excellent  friend  and  pro- 
tector) for  his  permission  to  go  to  you  immediately, 
which  my  uncle  Heywood,  without  first  obtaining 
it,  would  not  allows  fearing  lest  any  precipitate  step 
might  injure  you  at  present ;  and  I  only  Avait  the 
arrival  of  his  next  letter  to  fiy  into  your  arms.  Oh ! 
my  best  beloved  Peter,  how  I  anticipate  the  rapture 
of  that  moment! — for  alas!  I  have  no  joy,  no  hap- 
piness, but  in  your  beloved  society,  and  no  hopes, 
no  fears,  no  wishes,  but  for  you." 

Mr.  Heywood's  sisters  all  address  their  unfor- 
tunate brother  in  the  same  affectionate,  but  less  im- 
passioned strain ;  and  a  little  trait  of  good  feeling 
is  mentioned,  on  the  part  of  an  old  female  servant, 
that  shows  •what  a  happy  and  attached  family  the 
Heywoods  were,  previous  to  the  melancholy  affair 
in  which  their  boy  became  entangled.  Mrs.  Hey- 
wood says,  "  My  good  honest  Birket  is  very  well, 
and  says  your  safe  return  has  made  her  more  happy 
than  she  has  been  for  these  two-and-forty  years 
she  has  been  in  our  family."  And  Miss  Nessy  tells 
him,  "  Poor  Birket,  the  most  faithful  and  worthiest 
of  servants,  desires  me  to  tell  you  that  she  almost 
dies  with  joy  at  the  thought  of  your  safe  arrival  in 
England.  What  agony,  my  dear  boy,  has  she  felt 
on  your  account ;  her  affection  for  you  knows  no 
bounds,  and  her  misery  has  indeed  been  extreme  ; 
but  she  still  lives  to  bless  your  virtues." 

The  poor  prisoner  thus  replies,  from  his  majesty's 
ship  Hector,  to  his  "  beloved  sisters  all :" — 

"  This  day  I  had  the  supreme  happiness  of  your 
long  expected  letters*  and  I  am  not  able  to  express 


172  THE    PANDORA. 

the  pleasure  and  joy  they  afforded  me ;  at  the  sight 
of  them  my  spirits,  low  and  dejected,  were  at  once 
exhilarated ;  my  heart  had  long  and  greatly  suffered 
from  my  impatience  to  hear  of  those  most  dear  to 
me,  and  was  tossed  and  tormented  by  the  storms  of 
fearful  conjecture— but  they  are  now  subsided,  and 
my  bosom   has  at  length  attained  that  long-lost 
serenity  and  calmness  it  once   enj\)yed;  for  you 
may  believe  me  when  I  say  it  never  yet  has  suffered 
any  disquiet  from  my  own  misfortunes,  but  from  a 
truly  anxious  solicitude  for,  and  desire  to  hear  of, 
your  welfare.     God  be  thanked,  you  still  entertain 
such  an  opinion  of  me  as  I  will  flatter  myself  I  have 
deserved ;  but  why  do  I  say  so  1  can  I  make  myself 
too  worthy  the  affectionate  praises  of  such  amiable 
sisters  ]     Oh !  my  Nessy,  it  grieves  me  to  think  I 
must  be  under  the  necessity,  however  heart-break- 
ing to  myself,  of  desiring  you  will  rehnquish  your 
most  affectionate  design  of  coming  to  see  me  ;  it  is 
too  long  and  tedious  a  journey,  and  even  on  your 
arrival  you  would  not  be  allowed  the  wished-for 
happiness,  both  to  you  and  myself,  of  seeing,  much 
less  conversing  with,  your  unfortunate  brother:  the 
rules  of  the  service  are  so  strict,  that  prisoners  are 
not  permitted  to  have   any  communication   with 
female  relations ;  thus  even  the  sight  of,  and  con- 
versation with,  so  truly  affectionate  a  sister  is  for 
the  present  denied  me  !     The  happiness  of  such  an 
interview  let  us  defer  till  a  time  (which,  please  God, 
will  arrive)  when  it  can  be  enjoyed  with  more  free- 
dom, and  unobserved  by  the  gazing  eyes  of  an  inquisi- 
tive world,  which  in  my  present  place  of  confine- 
ment would  of  course  not  be  the  case. 

"  I  am  very  happy  to  hear  that  poor  old  Birket  is 
still  aUve  ;  remember  me  to  her,  and  tell  her  not  to 
heave  aback,  until  God  grants  me  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  her. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  Nessy,  cease  to  anticipate 
the  happiness  of  personal  communication  with  your 


THE    PANDORA.  173 

poor  but  resigTied  brother,  until  wished-for  freedom 
removes  the  indignant  shackles  I  now  bear  from 
the  feet  of  your  fond  and  most  affectionate  brother, 

"  P.  H." 

In  a  subsequent  letter  to  his  sister  he  says,  "  Let 
us  at  present  be  resigned  to  our  fate,  contented 
with  this  sort  of  communication,  and  be  thankful 
to  God  for  having  even  allowed  us  that  happiness — 
for  be  assured  the  present  confinement  is  liberty,  com- 
pared with  what  it  has  been  for  the  fifteen  months 
last  past."  On  the  15th  July,  Commodore  Pasley 
addresses  the  following  business-like  letter  to  Miss 
Heywood. 

"I  received  your  letter,  my  dearest  Nessy,  with 
the  enclosure  [her  brother's  narrative],  but  did  not 
choose  to  answer  it  until  I  had  njade  a  thorough 
investigation ;  that  is,  seeii  personally  all  the  prin- 
cipal evidences,  which  has  ever  since  occupied  my 
whole  thoughts  and  time.  I  have  also  had  some 
letters  from  himself;  and  notwithstanding  he  nuist 
still  continue  in  confinement,  ever}''  attention  and 
indulgence  possible  is  granted  him  by  Captain  Mon- 
tague of  the  Hector,  v.'ho  is  my  particular  friend. 
I  have  no  doubt  of  the  triUli  of  your  brother's  nar- 
rative ;  the  master,  boatswain,  gunner,  and  carpen- 
ter, late  of  the  Bounty,  I  have  seen,  and  have  the 
pleasure  to  assure  you  that  they  are  all  favourable, 
and  corroborate  what  he  says.  That  felloic,  Cap 
tain  Edwards,  whose  inhuman  rigour  of  confinement 
I  shall  never  forget,  I  have  likewise  seen ;  he  can- 
not deny  that  Peter  avowed  himself  late  of  the 
Bounty  when  he  came  voluntarily  aboard ;  this  is 
a  favourable  circumstance.  1  have  been  at  the 
Admiralty,  and  read  over  all  the  depositions  taken 
and  sent  home  by  Bligh  and  his  officers  from  Ba- 
tavia,  hkewise  the  court-martial  on  himself;  in 
none  of  which  appears  any  thing  against  Peter.  As 
soon  as  Lieutenant  Hayward  arrives  with  the  re- 
O 


174  THE     PANDORA. 

mainder  of  the  Pandora^s  crew,  the  court-martial 
is  to  take  place.  I  shall  certainly  attend,  and  we 
must  have  an  able  counsellor  to  assist,  for  1  will 
not  deceive  you,  my  dear  Nessy,  however  favour- 
able circumstances  may  appear,  our  martial  law  is 
severe ;  by  the  tenor  of  it,  the  man  who  stands 
neuter  is  equally  guilty  with  him  who  lifts  his  arm 
against  his  captain  in  such  cases.  His  extreme 
youth  and  his  delivering  himself  up  are  the  strong 
points  of  his  defence.  Adieu  !  my  dearest  Nessy ; 
present  my  love  to  your  mother  and  sisters,  and 
rest  assured  of  my  utmost  exertions  to  extricate 
your  brother. 

"  Your  affectionate  uncle, 

«  T.  Pasley." 

This  excellent  man  did  not  stop  here :  knowing 
that  sea-officers  have  a  great  aversion  from  counsel, 
he  writes  to  say,  "  A  friend  of  mine,  ]\Ir.  Graham, 
who  has  been  secretary  to  the  different  admirals 
on  the  Newfoundland  station  for  these  twelve  years, 
and  consequently  has  acted  as  judge-advocate  at 
courts-martial  all  that  time,  has  offered  me  to  at- 
tend you  ;  he  has  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  ser- 
vice, uncommon  abilities,  and  is  a  very  good  lawyer. 
He  has  already  had  most  of  the  evidences  with  him. 
Adieu  !  my  young  friend  ;  keep  up  your  spirits,  and 
rest  assured!  shall  be  watchful  for  your  good.  My 
heart  will  be  more  at  ease  if  I  can  get  my  friend 
Graham  to  go  down,  than  if  you  were  attended  by 
the  first  counsel  in  England."*  Mr.  Graham  accor- 
dingly attended,  and  was  of  the  greatest  seivice  at 
the  trial. 

Nessy  Heywoodf  having  in  one  of  her  letters 
inquired  of  her  brother  how  tall  he  was,  and  having 

*  The  late  Aaron  Graham,  Esq.,  the  highly  respected  police  magisirate 
in  London. 

t  Till  the  momeni  of  the  tri.il,  it  will  readily  be  supposed  that  pvery 
thought  of  this  amiable  young  lady  was  absorbed  in  her  brother's  fate 
In  this  interval  the  following  lines  appear  to  have  been  written : — 


THE    PANDORA. 


175 


received  information  on  this  point,  expressed  some 
surprise  that  he  was  not  taller.     "And  so,"  he  re- 

On  receiving  information  ly  a  letter  from  my  ever  dearly  loved  brotkej 
Peter  Heywood,  that  his  trial  icas  soon  to  takeplace. 
Oh  !  gentle  Hope  1  -with  eye  serene, 

And  aspect  ever  sweetly  mild  ; 
Who  deck'st  with  gayest  fiow'rs  each  scene, 

In  sportive,  rich  luxuriance  wild. 
Thou — soother  of  corroding  care, 

Winn  sharj)  affliction's  pangs  we  feel, 
Teachest  with  fortitude  to  bear, 

And  know'st  deep  sorrow's  wounds  to  heal. 
Thy  timid  vot'ry  now  inspire, 

Thy  influence,  in  pity,  lend  ; 
With  confidence  this  bosom  fire. 

Till  anxious,  dread  suspense  shall  end. 
Let  not  fear  invade  my  breas'. 

My  Lycidas  no  terror  knows  ; 
With  conscious  innocence  he's  bless'd, 

And  soon  will  triumph  o  er  his  foes. 
Watch  liim,  sweet  Pow'r,  with  looks  benign. 

Possession  of  his  bosonri  keep  ; 
While  waking,  make  each  moment  shine, 

With  fancy  gild  his  hours  of  sleep. 
Protect  him  still,  nor  let  him  dread 

The  awful,  the  approaching  hour,    . 
When  on  his  poor  devoted  head 

Fell  slander  falls  with  cruel  power. 
Yet,  gentle  Hope,  deceive  me  nor, 

Nor  with  deluding  smiles  betray; 
Be  honour's  recompense  his  lot. 

And  glory  crown  each  future  day  I 
And  oh  '  support  this  fainting  heart 

With  courage  till  that  hour  is  past, 
When,  freed  from  envy's  fatal  dart. 

His  innocence  shines  forth  at  last : 
Then,  my  loved  Lycidas,  we'll  meet, 

Thy  niiseries  and  trials  o'er; 
With  soft  delight  thy  heart  shall  beat. 

And  hail  with  joy  thy  native  shore ! 
Then  will  each  hour  with  rapture  fly, 

Then  sorrow's  plaintive  voice  will  cease 
No  care  shall  cause  the  heaving  sigh, 

But  all  our  days  be  crown'd  with  peace. 
With  love  and  fond  affection  bless'd. 

No  more  shall  grief  our  bliss  destroy; 
No  pain  disturb  each  faithful  breast, 

But  rapture  all  and  endless  joy  I 
Me  of  Man,  Aug-ust  22,  1792  Nessy  IIkywoco 


176  THE    PANDORA. 

plies,  "you  are  surprised  I  am  not  taller!— Ah, 
Nessy !  let  me  ask  you  this — suppose  the  last  two 
years  of  your  growth  had  been  retarded  by  close 
confinement, — nearly  deprived  of  ail  liinds  of  neces- 
sary aliment — shut  up  from  the  all-cheering  light 
of  the  sun  for  the  space  of  five  months,  and  never 
suffered  to  breathe  the  fresh  air  (an  enjoyment  which 
Providence  denies  to  none  of  his  creatures)  during 
all  that  time — and  without  any  kind  of  exercise  to 
stretch  and  supple  your  limbs — besides  many  other 
inconveniences  which  I  will  not  pain  you  by  men- 
tioning— how  tall  should  you  have  been,  my  dear 
sister  ? — answer,  four  feet  nothing  ;  but  enough  of 
nonsense." 

Nessy  Hey  wood  had  expressed  a  strong  desire  to 
see  her  brother,  but  was  told  the  rules  of  the  service 
would  not  allow  it ;  also,  that  it  would  agitate  him, 
when  he  ought  to  be  cool  and  collected,  to  meet  his 
approaching  trial.  This  was  quite  enough : — "  But 
as  for  myself,"  she  says,  "  no  danger,  no  fatigue, 
no  difficulties  would  deter  me — I  have  youth,  and 
health,  and  excellent  natural  spirits — these  and  the 
strength  of  my  affection  would  support  me  through 
H  all;  if  I  were  not  allowed  to  see  you,  yet  being 
m  the  same  place  which  contains  you  would  be 
joy  inexpressible  !  1  will  not,  however,  any  longer 
desire  it,-but  will  learn  to  imitate  your  fortitude  and 
patience." 

Mr.  Heywood  of  I\iaristow,  and  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  Bertie,  had  intimated  the  same  thing.  These 
excellent  people,  from  the  moment  of  young  Hey* 
wood's  arrival,  had  shown  him  every  kindness,  sup- 
phed  him  with  money,  and,  what  v/as  better,  with 
friends,  who  could  give  him  the  best  advice.  To 
this  worthy  lady,  Miss  Nessy  Heywood  thus  ad- 
dresses herself. 

"  Overwhelmed  with  sensations  of  gratitude  and 
pleasure,  which  she  is  too  much  agitated  to  express. 


THE    PANDORA.  177 

permit  me,  dearest  madam,  at  my  mamma's  request, 
to  offer  you  hers  and  our  most  sincere  acknow- 
ledgments for  your  invaluable  letter,  which,  from 
the  detention  of  the  packet,  she  did  not  receive  till 
yesterday.  By  a  letter  from  my  beloved  brother  of 
the  same  date,  we  are  informed  that  Mr.  Larkhajn 
(who  I  suppose  to  be  the  gentleman  you  mer.tion 
having  sent  to  see  him)  has  been  on  board  the  Hec- 
tor, and  has  kindly  offered  him  the  most  salutary 
advice  relative  to  his  present  situation,  for  which 
allow  me  to  request  you  will  present  him  our  best 
thanks.  He  also  speaks  with  every  expression  a 
grateful  heart  can  dictate  of  your  excellent  father's 
goodness  in  providing  for  all  his  wants,  even  before 
he  could  have  received  any  letters  from  us  to  that 
purpose. 

"  Ah  !  my  dear  madam,  how  truly  characteristic 
is  this  of  the  kind  fi'iendship  with  which  he  has  ever 
honoured  our  famity !  But  my  beloved  Peter  does 
not  know  that  Mr.  Heywood  has  a  daughter  whose 
generosity  is  equal  to  his  own,  and  whose  amiable 
com.passion  for  his  sufferings  it  will  be  as  impossible 
for  us  to  forget,  as  it  is  to  express  the  admiration 
and  gratitude  it  has  inspired.  It  vvould,  I  am  con- 
vinced, be  unnecessary,  as  well  as  a  very  bad  compli- 
ment to  you,  madam,  were  I  to  presume  to  point  out 
any  thing  particular  to  be  done  for  our  poor  boy,  as 
I  have  not  the  least  doubt  your  goodness  and  kind 
intention  have  long  ago  rendered  every  care  of  that 
sort  on  our  part  unnecessary.  T  shall  only  add,  that 
my  mamma  begs  every  wish  he  forms  may  be  granted ; 
and  sure  I  am.,  he  will  not  desire  a  single  gratifi- 
cation that  can  be  deemed  in  the  smallest  degree 
improper. 

"  In  one  of  my  brother's  letters,  dated  the  23d,  he 
hints  that  he  shall  not  be  permitted  to  see  any  of  his 
relatione  till  his  trial  is  over,  and  that  he  therefore 
does  not  expect  us.  I  have,  however,  written  to  Mr. 
Heywood  (witliout  whose  approbation  I  would  by 


178  THE    PANDORA. 

no  means  take  any  step)  for  permission  to  go  to 
him.  If  it  is  absolutely  impossible  for  me  to  see 
him  (though  in  the  presence  of  witnesses),  yet  even 
that  p'-oliibition,  cruel  as  it  is,  I  could  bear  with  pa- 
tience, provided  I  might  be  near  him,  to  see  the  ship 
in  which  he  at  present  exists — to  behold  those  ob- 
jects vvhich,  perhaps,  at  the  same  moment  attract  his 
notice — to  breathe  the  same  air  which  he  breathes. 
— Ah !  my  dearest  madam,  these  are  inestimable 
gratifications,  and  would  convey  sensations  of  rap- 
ture and  delight  to  the  fond  bosom  of  a  sister,  which 
it  is  far,  very  far  beyond  my  power  to  describe. 
Besides,  the  anxiety  and  impatience  produced  by  the 
immense  distance  which  now  separates  us  from  him, 
and  the  uncertainty  attending  the  packet,  render  it 
difficult  and  sometimes  impossible  to  hear  of  him  so 
often  as  we  would  wish;  and,  may  1  not  add  (thongh 
Heaven  in  its  mercy  forbid  it — for,  alas !  the  bare 
idea  is  too  dreadful,  yet  it  is  in  the  scale  of  possi- 
bility), that  some  accident  might  happen  to  deprive 
us  of  my  dearest  brother:  how  insupportably  bitter 
would  then  be  our  reflections,  for  having  omitted  the 
opportunity  when  it  was  in  our  power  of  administer- 
ing comfort  and  consolation  to  him  in  person.  For 
these  reasons  I  earnestly  hope  Mr.  Heywood  will 
not  judge  it  improper  to  comply  with  my  request, 
and  shall  wait  with  eager  impatience  the  arrival  of 
his  next  letter.  Think  not,  my  dear  madam,  that  it 
is  want  of  confidence  in  your  care  and  attention 
which  makes  me  solicitous  to  be  with  my  beloved 
brother.  Be  assured  we  are  all  as  perfectly  easy  in 
that  respect  as  if  we  were  on  the  spot ;  but  I  am 
convinced  you  will  pardon  the  dictates  of  an  affec- 
tion which  an  absence  of  five  years,  rendered  still 
more  painful  by  his  sufferings,  has  heightened  almost 
to  a  degree  of  adoration.  I  shall  with  your  per- 
mission take  the  liberty  of  enclosing  a  letter  to  my 
brother,  which  I  leave  open  for  perusal,  and  at  the  same 
time  request  your  pardon  for  mentioning  you  to  liini 


THE    PANDORA.  179 

iti  such  terms  as  I  am  apprehensive  will  wound  the 
delicacy  which  ever  accompanies  generosity  like 
3^ours;  but  indeed,  my  dearest  madam,  I  cannot, 
must  not  suffer  my  beloved  boy  to  remain  in  igno- 
rance of  that  worth  and  excellence  which  has 
prompted  you  to  become  his  kind  protectress. 

^'  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  with  every  sentiment 
of  gratitude,  &c,  &c.  &c., 

"  Nessy  Heywood." 

Among  the  numerous  friends  that  interested  them- 
selves in  the  fate  of  this  unhappy  youth  was  his 
uncle  Coionei  Holwell,  The  testimony  he  bears  to 
his  excellent  character  is  corroborated  by  all  who 
knew  him  while  a  boy  at  home.  About  a  fortnight 
before  the  trial  he  writes  to  him  thus : — 

^  2lst  Augtist,  1792. 
"  My  very  dear  Peter^ 
"  I  have  this  day  received  yours  of  the  18th,  and 
am  happy  to  find  by  its  contents,  that  notwithstand- 
ing your  long  and  cruel  confinement  you  still  pre- 
serve your  health,  and  write  in  good  spirits.  Pre- 
serve it,  my  dear  boy,  awful  as  the  approaching 
period  must  be  even  to  the  most  innocent,  but  from 
which  all  who  know  you  have  not  a  doubt  of  your 
rising  as  immaculate  as  a  new-born  infant.  I  have 
known  you  from  your  cradle,  and  iiave  often  marked 
with  pleasure  and  surprise  the  many  assiduous  in- 
stances (far  beyond  your  years)  you  have  given  of 
filial  duty  and  paternal  affection  \o  the  be&i,  of  pa 
rents,  and  to  brothers  and  sisters  Mho  doted  on  you. 
Your  education  has  been  the  best:  and  from  these 
considerations  alone,  without  the  very  clear  evidence 
of  your  own  testimony,  I  would  as  soon  believe  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury  would  set  fire  to  the  city 
of  London  as  suppose  50U  could,  directly  or  indi- 
rectty,  join  in  such  a  d— d  absurd  piece  of  business. 
Truly  sorry  sm  I  that  my  state  of  health  will  not 


180  THE    PANDORA. 

permit  me  to  .^o  down  to  Portsmouth,  to  give  this 
testimony  publicly  before  that  respectable  tribunal 
where  your  country's  laws  have  justly  ordained  you 
must  appear ;  but  consider  this  as  the  touchstone^  my 
dear  boy,  by  which  your  worth  must  be  known.  Six 
years  m  the  navy  myself  and  twenty-ei^ht  years  ;i 
soldier,  I  flatter  myself  my  judgment  will  not  prove 
erroneous.  That  Power,  my  dear  Peter,  of  v/hose 
grace  and  mercy  you  seem  to  have  sio  just  a  sense, 
will  not  no\v  forsake  you.  Your  dear  aunt  is  as 
must  be  expected  in  such  a  trying  situation,  but 
more  from  your  present  sufferings  than  any  appre- 
hension of  what  is  to  follow,"  &c. 

With  similar  testimonies  and  most  favourable* 
auguries  from  Commodore  Pasley,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Scott  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  others,  young  Hey- 
wood  went  to  his  long  and  anxiously  expected  trial, 
which  took  place  on  the  12th  September,  and  con- 
tinued to  the  18th  of  that  month.  Mrs.  Heywood 
had  been  anxious  that  Erskine  and  Mingay  should  be 
employed  as  counsel,  but  Mr.  Graham,  whom  Com- 
modore Pasley  had  so  highly  recommended,  gave  his 
best  assistance;  as  did  also  Mr.  Const,  who  had 
been  retained,  for  which  the  commodore  expresses 
his  sorrow,  as  sea  officers,  he  says,  have  a  great 
aversion  to  lawyers.  Mr.  Peter  Heywood  assigr.s  a 
better  reason  ;  in  a  letter  to  his  sister  Mary  he  says, 
that  "  Counsel  to  a  naval  prisoner  is  of  no  effect,  and 
as  they  are  not  allowed  to  speak,  their  eloquence  is 
not  of  the  least  efficacy;  I  request,  therefore,  you 
v/ill  desire  my  dear  mother  to  revoke  the  letter  she 
has  been  so  good  to  write  to  retain  Mr.  Erskine  and 
Mr.  Mingay,  and  to  forbear  putting  herself  to  so  great 
and  needless  an  expense  from  which  no  good  can 
accrue.  No,  no  !  Mary,  it  is  not  the  same  as  a  trial 
on  shore  ;  it  would  then  be  highly  requisite  ;  but  in 
this  case  /  alone  must  fight  my  own  battle  ;  and  I 
think  my  telling  the  truth  undisguised,  in  a  plain. 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  181 

short,  and  concise  manner,  is  as  likely  to  be  de- 
serving the  victory  as  the  most  elaborate  eloquence 
of  a  Cicero  upon  the  same  subject." 

At  this  anxious  moment  many  painfully  interest- 
ing letters  passed  to  and  from  the  family  in  the  Isle 
of  Man :  the  last  letter  from  his  beloved  Nessy  pre- 
vious to  the  awful  event  thus  concludes  : — "  May  that 
Almighty  Providence  whose  tender  care  has  hitherto 
preserved  you  be  still  5'Our  powerful  protector  !  may 
he  instil  in'to  the  hearts  of  your  judges  every  senti- 
ment of  justice,  generosity,  and  compassion  !  may 
hope,  innocence,  and  integrity  be  your  firm  support ! 
and  liberty,  glory,  and  l^onour  your  just  reward! 
may  all  good  angels  guard  you  from  even  the  ap- 
pearance of  danger!  and  may  you  at  length  be  re- 
stored to  us,  the  delight,  the  pride  of  your  adoring 
friends,  and  the  sole  happiness  and  felicity  of  that 
fond  heart  which  animates  the  bosom  of  my  dear 
Peter's  most  fiuthful  and  truly  affectionate  sister, 

"  N.  H." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 


"  If  any  person  in  orbelon<ring  to  the  fleot  shall  make,  or  endeavour  to 
make,  any  mutinous  assembly  upon  any  pretence  whatsoever,  every  per- 
son olf'eiulmg  herein,  and  being  convicted  thereof  by  the  sentence  o(  the 
court-martial,  shall  suffer  Death.'" — Xaval  Articles  of  War,  Art.  19. 

The  court  assembled  to  try  the  prisoners  on  board 
his  majesty's  ship  Duke,  on  the  12th  September, 
1792,  and  continued  by  adjournment  from  day  to 
day  (Sunday  excepted)  until  the  18th  of  the  same 
month.* 

*  The  minutes  being  very  long,  a  brief  abstract  only,  containing  th« 
principal  points  of  evidence,  is  here  given. 


182  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

PRESENT, 

Vice  Admiral  Lord  Hood,  President. 
Capt.  Sir  Andrew  Snape  Hamond,  Bart 
"    John  Colpoys. 
"     Sir  Geo-rge  Montagu, 
"    Sir  Roger  ('uriis, 
"    John  t'azeley, 
"    Sir  Andrew  Snape  Douglas, 
"    Jolin  Ttiomas  Duckworth, 
"    John  Nicholson  Inglefield, 
"    John  Knight, 
"    Albemarle  Bertie, 
"    Richard  Goodwin  Keats. 

The  charges  set  forth,  that  Fletcher  Christian, 
who  was  mate  of  the  Bounty,  assisted  by  others  of 
the  inferior  officers  and  men,  armed  Avith  muskets 
and  bayonets,  had  violently  and  forcibly  taken  that 
ship  from  her  commander,  Lieutenant  Bligh ;  and 
that  he,  tog-ether  with  the  master,  boatswain,  gun- 
ner, and  carpenter,  and  other  persons  (being  nine- 
teen in  number),  were  forced  into  the  launch  and 
cast  adrift ;— that  Captain  Edwards  in  the  Pandora 
was  directed  to  proceed  to  Otaheite  and  other  islands 
in  the  South  Seas,  and  to  use  his  best  endeavours  to 
recover  the  said  vessel,  and  to  bring  in  confinement 
to  England  the  said  Fletcher  Christian  and  his  asso- 
ciates, or  as  many  of  them  as  he  might  be  able  to 
apprehend,  in  order  that  they  might  be  brought  to 
condign  punishment,  &c. ;— that  Peter  lieywood, 
James  Morrison,  Charles  Norman,  Joseph  Coleman, 
Thomas  Ellison,  Thomas  M'Intosh,  Thomas  Burkitt, 
John  Millward, William  Muspratt,  and  Michael  Byrne, 
had  been  brought  to  England,  &c.,  and  were  now  put 
on  their  trial. 

Mr.  Fryer,  the  master  of  the  Bounty,  being  first 
sworn,  deposed — 

That  he  had  the  first  watch  ;  that  between  ten  and 
eleven  o'clock  Mr.  Bligh  came  on  deck  according  to 
custom,  and  after  a  short  conversation,  and  having 
given  his  orders  for  the  night,  left  the  deck ;  that  at 
twelve  he  was  relieved  by  the  gunner,  and  reined, 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  183 

leaving  all  quiet ;  that  at  dawn  of  day  he  was  greatly 
alarmed  by  an  unusual  noise ;  and  that,  on  attempt- 
ing to  jump  up,  John  Sumner  and  Matthew  Quintal 
laid  their  hands  upon  his  breast  and  desired  him  to 
lie  slill,  saying  he  was  their  prisoner ;  that  on  ex- 
postulating with  them,  he  was  told,  "Hold  your 
tongue,  or  you  are  a  dead  man ;  but  if  you  remain 
quiet  there  is  none  on  board  will  hurt  a  hair  of  your 
head :"  he  further  deposes,  that  on  raising  himself 
on  the  locker,  he  saw  on  the  ladder,  going  upon 
deck,  Mr.  Bligh  in  his  shirt,  with  his  hands  tied  be- 
hind him,  and  Christian  holding  him  by  the  cord ; 
that  the  master-at-arms,  Churchill,  then  came  to  his 
cabin  and  took  a  brace  of  pistols  and  a  hanger,  say- 
ing, "  I  will  take  care  of  these,  Mr.  Fryer  ;"  that  he 
asked,  on  seeing  Mr.  Bligh  bound,  what  they  were 
going  to  do  with  the  captain ;  that  Sumner  replied, 
"  D^n  his  eyes,  put  him  into  the  boat,  and  let  the 

. see  if  he  can  live  upon  three-fourths  of  a  pound 

of  yams  a  day ;"  that  he  remonstrated  with  such  con- 
duct, but  in  vain.  They  said  he  must  go  in  the  small 
cutter.  "  The  small  cutter  !"  Mr.  Fryer  exclaimed ; 
"  why  her  bottom  is  almost  out,  and  very  much  eaten 
by  the  worms!"  to  which  Sumner  and  Quintal  both 
said,  "  D— n  his  eyes,  the  boat  is  too  good  for  him  ;" 
that  after  nmch  entreaty  he  prevailed  on  them  to  ask 
Christian  if  he  might  be  allowed  to  go  on  deck, 
which  after  some  hesitation  was  granted.  When  I 
came  on  deck,  says  Mr.  Fryer,  Mr.  Bligh  was  stand- 
ing by  the  mizen-mast  with  his  hands  tied  behind 
him,  and  Christian  holding  the  cord  with  one  hand 
and  a  bayonet  in  the  other.  I  said,  "  Christian,  con- 
sider what  you  are  about."  "  Hold  your  tongue, 
sir,"  he  said ;  "  I  have  been  in  hell  for  weeks  past ; 
Captain  Bligh  has  brought  all  this  on  himself."  I 
told  him  that  Mr.  Bligh  and  he  not  agreeing  was  no 
reason  for  taking  tlie  ship.  "  Hold  your  tongue,  sir," 
he  said.  I  said,  "  Mr.  Christian,  you  and  I  have 
been  on  friendly  terms  during  the  voyage,  therefore 


184  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

give  me  leave  to  speak, — let  Mr.  Bligh  go  down  lo 
his  cabin,  and  I  make  no  doubt  we  shall  all  be  fuend.* 
again  :"  he  then  repeated,  "  Hold  your  tongue,  sir ;  it 
is  too  late ;"  and  threatening  me  if  I  said  any  thing 
more.  Mr.  Fryer  then  asked  him  to  give  a  better 
boat  than  the  cutter ;  he  said,  "  No,  that  boat  is  good 
enough."  Bligh  now  said  to  the  master,  that  th6 
man  behind  the  hencoops  (Isaac  Martin)  was  his 
fiidnd,  and  desired  him  (the  master)  to  knock  Chris 
tian  down,  which  Christian  must  have  heard,  but 
took  no  notice ;  that  Fryer  then  attempted  to  get 
past  Christian  to  speak  to  Martin,  but  he  put  his 
bayonet  to  his  breast,  saying,  "  Sir,  if  you  advance 
an  inch  farther  I  will  run  yon  through,"  and  ordered 
two  armed  men  to  take  him  down  to  his  cabin. 
Shortly  afterward  he  was  desired  to  go  on  deck, 
when  Christian  ordered  him  into  the  boat :  he  said, 
"  I  will  stay  with  you,  if  you  will  give  me  leave." 
"  No,  sir,"  he  replied,  "  go  directly  into  the  boat." 
Bligh,  then  on  the  gangway,  said,  "  Mr.  Fryer,  stay 
in  the  ship."  "  No,  by  G — d,  sir,"  Christian  said, 
"  go  into  the  boat,  or  I  will  run  you  through."  Mr. 
Fr5''er  states,  that  during  this  time  very  bad  language 
was  used  by  the  people  towards  Mr.  Bligh ;  that 
with  great  difficulty  they  prevailed  on  Christian  to 
suffer  a  few  articles  to  be  put  into  the  boat ;  that 
after  the  persons  were  ordered  into  the  boat  to  the 
number  of  nineteen,  such  opprobrious  language  con- 
tinued to  be  used,  several  of  the  men  calling  out, 

"  Shoot  the ;"  that  Cole,  the  boatswain,  advised 

they  should  cast  off  and  take  their  chance,  as  the 
mutineers  would  certainly  do  them  a  mischief  if 
they  staid  much  longer.  Mr.  Fryer  then  states  the 
names  of  those  who  were  under  arms ;  and  that  Jo- 
seph Coleman,  Thomas  M'lntosh,  Charles  Norman, 
and  INIichael  Byrne  (prisoners)  wished  to  come  into 
the  boat,  declaring  they  had  nothing  to  do  in  the 
business ;  that  he  did  not  perceive  Mr.  Peter  Hey- 
wood  on  deck  at  the  seizure  of  the  ship. 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  186 

On  being  asked  what  he  supposed  Christian  meant 
when  he  said  he  had  been  in  hell  for  a  fortnijj^ht  1 
he  said,  from  the  frequent  quarrels  that  tlie}^  had, 
and  the  abuse  he  had  received  from  Mr.  Eligh,  and 
that  the  day  before  the  mutiny  Mr.  Bligh  had  chal- 
lenged all  the  young  gentlemen  and  people  with 
stealing  his  eocoanuts. 

Mr.  Cole,  the  boatswain,  deposes, — that  he  had  the 
middle  watch ;  was  awakened  out  of  his  sleep  in 
the  morning,  and  heard  a  man  calling  out  to  the 
carpenter,  that  the}'  had  mutinied  and  taken  the  sliip ; 
that  Christian  had  the  command,  and  that  the  cap- 
tain was  a  prisoner  on  the  quarter-deck  ;  that  he 
went  up  the  hatchwa}-,  having  seen  Mr.  Heywood 
and  Mr.  Young  in  the  opposite  berth ;  that  coming 
on  deck,  he  saw  the  captain  with  his  hands  tied  be- 
hind him,  and  four  sentinels  standing  over  him,  two 
of  which  were  Ellison  and  Buikitt,  the  prisoners  ; 
that  he  asked  Mr.  Christian  what  he  meant  to  do, 
and  was  answered  by  his  ordering  him  to  hoist  the 
boat  out,  and  shook  the  bayonet,  threatening  him  and 
damning  him  if  he  did  not  take  care ;  that  when  he 
found  the  captain  was  to  be  sent  out  of  the  ship,  he 
again  went  aft  with  the  carpenter  to  ask  for  the 
long-boat ;  that  they  asked  three  or  four  times  be- 
fore he  granted  it  ;  that  he  saw  Mr.  Peter  Hey- 
wood, one  of  the  prisoners,  lending  a  hand  to  get  the 
fore-stay  fall  along,  and  when  ihe  boat  was  hooked 
on,  spoke  something  to  him,  but  what  it  nas  does 
not  know,  as  Christian  was  threatening  him  at  the 
time  ;  that  Heywood  then  went  below,  and  does  not 
remember  seeing  him  afcerwajd ;  that  after  the  few 
things  were  got  into  the  boat,  and  most  of  the  peo- 
ple in  her,  they  were  trying  for  the  carpenter's  tool- 
chest,  when  Quintal  said,  "  D — n  them,  if  we  let 
them  have  these  things  they  will  build  a  vessel  in  a 
month  ;"  but  when  all  were  in  the  boat  she  was 
veered  astern,  when  Coleman,  Norman  and  M'Intosh, 
prisoners,  were  orving  at  the  gangway,  wishing  to 


188  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

go  in  the  boat ;  and  Byrne,  in  the  cutter  alongside, 
was  also  crying;  tluit  he  advised  Mr.  Bligh  to  cast 
off,  as  he  feared  they  would  fire  into  the  boat. 

The  Court  asked  if  he  had  any  reason  to  beHeve 
that  any  other  of  the  prisoners  than  those  named 
were  detained  contrary  to  their  inclinations  1  An- 
swer— "  I  beheve  Mr.  Heyvvood  was  ;  I  thought  all 
along  he  was  intending  to  come  away ;  he  had  no 
arms,  and  he  assisted  to  get  the  boat  out,  and  then 
went  below  ;  I  heard  Churchill  call  out,  '  Keep  them 
below.'  "  The  Court — "  Do  you  think  he  meant 
Hey  wood]"     "  I  have  no  reason  to  think  any  other." 

Mr.  Peckover  the  gunner's  evidence  is  similar  to 
that  of  Mr.  Cole's,  and  need  not  be  detailed. 

Mr.  Purccll,  the  carpenter,  corroborated,  gene- 
rally, the  testimony  of  the  three  who  liad  been  ex- 
amined. The  Court  asked,  "  Did  you  see  Mr.  Hey- 
wood  standing  upon  the  booms'?"  "Yes;  he  was 
leaning  the  flat  part  of  his  hand  on  a  cutlass,  when 
I  exclaimed,  '  In  the  name  of  God,  Peter  what  do  you 
with  that  V  when  he  instantly  dropped  it,  and  assisted 
in  hoisting  the  launc-h  out,  and  handing  the  things 
into  the  boat,  and  then  went  down  below,  when  I 
heard  Churchill  call  to  Thompson  to  keep  them  be- 
low, but  could  not  tell  whom  he  meant ;  I  did  not 
see  Mr.  Heyvvood  after  that."  The  Court — "  In 
what  light  did  you  look  upon  Mr.  Heywood  at  the 
time  you  say  he  dropped  the  cutlass  on  your  speak- 
ing to  him  f"  Wit7iess — "  I  looked  upon  him  as  a 
person  confused,  and  that  he  did  not  know  he  had 
the  weapon  in  his  hand,  or  his  hand  being  on  it,  for 
it  was  not  in  his  hand  ;  I  considered  him  to  be  con- 
fused, by  his  instantly  dropping  it,  and  assisting  in 
hoisting  the  boat  out,  which  convinced  me  in  my 
own  mind  that  he  had  no  hand  in  the  conspiracy ; 
that  after  this  he  went  below,  as  I  think,  on  his  own 
account,  in  order  to  collect  some  of  his  things  to  put 
into  the  boat."  The  Court—"'  Do  you,  upon  the 
solemn  oath  you  have  taken,  believe  that  Mr.  Hey- 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  187 

wood,  by  being  armed  with  a  cntlass  at  the  time  you 
hav^"  mentioned,  by  any  thing  that  you  could  collect 
fiom  his  gestures  or  speeches,  had  any  intention  of 
opposing,  or  joining  others  that  might  oppose,  to  stop 
the  prog]-ess  of  the  mutiny  ]"  Witness — ^^"  No." 
The  Court — "In  the  time  that  Mr.  Hey  wood  was 
assisting  you  to  get  the  things  into  the  boat,  did  he, 
in  any  degree  whatever,  manifest  a  disposition  to 
assist  in  the  mutiny?"  Witness — "No."  I'he 
Court — "  Was  he,  during  that  time,  deliberate  or 
frightened,  and  in  what  manner  did  he  behave  him- 
self?" Wit7iess — "I  had  not  an  opportunity  of  ob- 
serving his  every  action,  being  m3'self  at  that  time 
engaged  in  getting  several  things  into  the  boat,  so 
that  I  cannot  tell."  The  Court — *'  Putting  every  cir- 
cumstance together,  declare  to  this  court,  upon  the 
oath  you  have  taken,  how  you  considered  his  be- 
haviour, whether  as  a  person  joined  in  the  mutiny, 
or  as  a  person  wishing  Avell  to  Captain  Bligh?" 
Witness — "  I  by  no  means  considered  him  as  a  per- 
son concerned  in  the  mutiny  or  conspiracy." 

Lieutenant  Thomas  Hayward,  late  third  lieutenant 
of  the  Pandora,  and  formerly  midshipman  of  the 
Bounty,  deposes,  that  he  had  the  morning  watch ; 
that  at  four  o'clock  Fletcher  Christian  relieved  the 
watch  as  usual;  that  at  five  he  ordered  him,  as 
master's  mate  of  his  watch,  to  look  out,  while  he 
went  down  to  lash  his  hammock  up;  that  while 
looking  at  a  shark  astern  of  the  ship,  to  his  luiut- 
terable  surprise  he  saw  Fletcher  Christian,  Charles 
CJnirchill,  Thomas  Burkitt  (the  prisoner),  John 
Sunnier,  I\Iatthew  Quintal,  WiUiam  M'Koy,  Isaac 
Martin,  Henry  Hillbrandt,  and  Alexander  Smith 
coming  aft,  armed  with  muskets  and  bayonets  ;  that 
on  going  forward,  he  asked  Christian  the  cause  of 
such  an  act,  who  told  him  to  hold  his  tongue  in- 
stantly ;  and  leaving  Isaac  Martin  as  a  sentinel  on 
deck,  he  proceeded  with  the  rest  of  his  party  below, 
to  Lieutenant  Bligh's  cabin ;  that  the  people  on  deck 


t1S^  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

were  Mr.  John  Hallet,  myself,  Robert  Lamb,  Butcher, 
Thomas  Ellison  (prisoner)  at  the  helm,  and  Johr 
Mills  at  the  conn ;  that  he  asked  Mills  if  he  knew 
any  thing-  of  the  matter,  who  pleaded  total  igno- 
rance, and  Thomas  Ellison  quitted  the  helm  and 
armed  himself  with  a  bayonet ;  that  the  decks  now 
became  throng^ed  with  armed  men  ;  that  Peter  Hey- 
wood,  James  Morrison  (two  of  the  prisoners),  and 
George  Stewart  were  unarmed  on  the  booms  ;  that 
Fletcher  Christian  and  his  gang  had  not  been  down 
long  before  he  heard  the  cry  of  murder  from  Lieu- 
tenant Bligh,  and  Churchill  calling  out  for  a  rope,  on 
which  Mills,  contrary  to  all  orders  and  entreaties, 
cut  the  deep-sea  line,  and  carried  a  piece  of  it  to 
their  assistance ;  that  soon  after  Lieutenant  Bligh 
was  brought  upon  the  quarter-deck  with  his  hands 
bound  behind  him,  and  was  surrounded  by  most  of 
those  who  came  last  on  deck. 

This  witness  then  states,  that  on  the  arrival  of  the 
Pandora  at  Matavai  Bay,  Joseph  Coleman  was  the 
first  that  came  on  board ;  that  he  was  upset  in  a 
canoe,  and  assisted  by  the  natives  ;  that  as  soon  as 
the  ship  was  at  anchor,  George  Stewart  and  Peter 
Heywood  came  on  board;  that  they  made  them- 
selves known  to  Captain  Edwards,  and  expressed 
their  happiness  that  he  was  arrived ;  that  he  asked 
them  how  they  came  to  go  away  with  his  majesty's 
ship  the  Bounty,  when  George  Stewart  said,  when 
called  upon  hereafter  he  would  answer  all  particu- 
lars; that  he  was  prevented  by  Captain  Eiwards 
from  answering  further  questions,  and  they  were  sent 
out  of  the  cabin  to  be  confined.  He  then  describes 
the  manner  in  which  the  rest  of  the  mutineers  were 
taken  on  tlie  island.  Having  stated  that  when  he 
went  below  to  get  some  things  he  saw  Peter  Hey- 
wood in  his  berth,  and  told  him  to  go  into  the  boat, 
he  was  asked  by  the  Court  if  Heywood  was  prevented 
by  any  force  from  going  upon  deck,  he  answered, 
•*  No."     The  Court—''  Did  you,  from  his  behaviour, 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL  189 

consider  him  as  a  person  attached  to  his  duty,  or  to 
the  party  of  the  mutineers  ]"  Witness — "  I  sliouid 
rather  suppose,  after  my  having-  told  him  to  go  into 
the  boat,  and  he  not  joining  us,  to  be  on  the  side  of 
the  mutineers  ;  but  that  must  b^  understood  only  as, 
an  opinion,  as  he  was  not  in  the  least  employed 
during  the  active  part  of  it."  The  Court — "  Did  you 
observe  any  marks  of  joy  or  sorrow  on  his  counte- 
nance or  behaviour  ?"     Witness — "  Sorrow." 

Lieutenant  Hallet,  late  midshipman  of  the  Bounty, 
states, — that  he  had  the  morning-watch ;  that  he 
heard  Lieutenant  Bligh  call  out  murder,  and  pres- 
ently after  saw  him  brought  upon  deck  naked,  ex- 
cepting his  shirt,  with  his  hands  tied  behind  him, 
and  Christian  holding  the  end  of  the  cord  which  tied 
them  in  one  hand,  and  either  a  bayonet  or  a  cutlass 
in  the  other ;  that  the  cutter  was  hoisted  out,  and 
Mr.  Samuel,  Mr.  Hayward,  and  myself  ordered  to  go 
into  her;  but  the  boatswain  and  carpenter  going  aft, 
and  telling  Christian  they  wished  to  go  with  the 
captain  rather  than  stay  in  the  ship,  and  asking  to 
have  the  launch,  it  was  granted.  On  being  asked  if 
he  saw  Peter  Heywood  on  that  day,  he  replied, 
once,  on  the  platform,  standing  still,  and  looking  at- 
tentively towards  Captain  Bhgh  ;  never  saw  him 
under  arms,  nor  spoke  to  him  ;  does  not  know  if  he 
offered  to  go  in  the  boat,  nor  did  he  hear  any  one 
propose  to  him  to  go  in  the  boat ;  that  when  stand- 
ing on  the  platform,  Captain  Bligh  said  something  to 
him,  but  what  he  did  not  hear,  upon  which  Heywood 
laughed,  turned  round,  and  walked  away. 

Captain  Edwards,  being  then  called  and  sworn,  was 
desired  by  the  Court  to  state  the  conversation  that 
passed  between  him  and  Coleman,  Peter  Heywood, 
and  George  Stewart  when  they  came  on  board  the 
Pandora. 

Edwards — "Joseph  Coleman  attempted  to  come 
on  board  before  the  ship  came  to  an  anchor  at  O^a- 
heite ;  he  was  soon  afterward  taken  up  by  canons 
P 


190  THE    COURT-MARTIAI.. 

and  came  on  boai  d  before  the  ship  came  to  an  an» 
chor ;  I  began  to  make  inquiries  of  him  after  the 
Bounty  and  her  people*.  The  next  who  came  on 
board  were  Siewart  and  Peter  Hey  wood;  they  came 
•after  the  ship  was  *at  anchor,  bui  before  any  boat 
was  on  shore.  I  did  not  see  them  come  alongside. 
I  desired  Lieutenant  Larkin  to  bring  them  down  to 
the  cabin.  I  asked  them  what  news ;  Peter  Hey- 
wood,  I  think,  said  he  supposed  I  had  heard  of  the 
affair  of  the  Bounty.  I  don't  recollect  all  the  con- 
versation that  passed  between  us;  he  sometimes 
interrupted  me  by  asking  for  Mr.  Hay  ward,  the  lieu- 
tenant of  the  Pandora,  whether  he  was  on  board  or 
not — he  had  heard. that  he  was;  at  last  I  acknow- 
ledgecj  that  he  was,  and  I  desired  him  to  come  out 
of  my  state-room,  where  I  had'  desired  him  to  go  into, 
as  he  happened  to  be  with  me  at  the  time.  Lieuten- 
ant Hayward  treated  him  with  a  sort  of  contemptu- 
ous look,  and  began  to  enter  into  conversation  with 
him  respecting  the  Bounty,  but  I  called  the  sentinel 
m  to  take  them  into  custody,  and  ordered  Lieuten- 
ant Hayward  to  desist,  and  I  ordered  them  to  be  put 
into  irons  :  some  words  passed,  and  Peter  Heywood 
said  he  should  be  able  to  vindicate  his  conduct. 

Lieutenant  Corner,  of  the  Pandora,  merely  states 
his  being  sent  to  bring  the  rest  of  the  mutineers  on 
board,  who  were  at  some  distance  from  Matavai 
Bay. 

The  prisoners  being  called  on  for  their  defence, 
the  witnesses  were  again  separately  called  and  ex- 
amined on  the  part  of  the  prisoners. 

Mr.  Fryer,  the  master,  called  in  and  examined  by 
Mr.  He5'"wood. — "  If  you  had  been  permitted,  would 
you  have  staid  in  the  ship  in  preference  to  going  into 
the  boat  ]"  Witness — "  Yes."  Prisoner — "  Had  you 
staid  in  the  ship  in  expectation  of  retaking  her,  was 
my  conduct  such,  from  the  first  moment  you  knew 
me  to  this,  as  would  have  induced  you  to  intrust  me 
with  your  design.*  and  do  you  believe  I  woold  have 


THE    COURT-MAR  riAL.  191 

favoured  it,  and  given  you  all  the  assistance  in  my 
power;"  Witness — "I  believe  he  would  :  I  should 
not  have  hesitated  a  moment  in  asking  of  him  when 
I  had  had  an  opportunity  of  opening  ni}^  mind  to 
him." 

The  same  question  being  put  to  Mr.  Cole,  the 
boatswain,  Mr.  Peckover,  the  gunner,  and  Mr.  Pur- 
cell,  the  carpenter,  they  all  answered  in  the  affirma- 
tive. 

Mr.  Heywood  asked,  "  What  was  my  general  con- 
duct, temper,  and  disposition  on  board  the  ship  V 
Witness — "Beloved  by  everybody,  to  the  best  of 
my  recollection."  To  the  same  question,  Mr.  Cole 
answQrs,  "  Always  a  very  good  character."  Mr. 
Peckover — "The  most  amiable,  and  deserving  of 
every  one's  esteem."  Mr.  Purcell — "  In  every  respect 
becoming  the  character  of  a  gentleman,  and  such  as 
merited  the  esteem  of  everybody." 

Mr.  Cole,  being  examined,  gave  his  testimony, — 
that  he  never  saw  Mr.  Heywood  armed ;  that  he  did 
not  consider  him  of  the  mutineers'  party  ;  that  he 
saw  nothing  of  levity  or  apparent  merriment  in  his 
conduct ;  tljat  when  he  was  below  with  Stewart,  he 
heard  Churchill  call  out,  "  Keep  them  below,"  and 
that  he  believes  Heywood  was  one  of  the  persons 
meant — has  no  doubt  of  it  at  all ;  that  Bligh  could  not 
have  spoken  to  him  when  on  the  booms  loud  enough 
to  be  heard ;  that  Hayward  was  alarmed,  and  Hallet 
alarmed;  that  he  by  no  means  considers  Heywood 
or  Morrison  as  mutineers. 

Mr.  Purcell,  being  examined,  states, — that,  re- 
specting the  cutlass  on  which  he  saw  Mr.  Hey- 
wood's  hand  resting,  he  does  not  consider  him  as 
being  an  armed  man ;  that  he  never  thought  him  as  of 
the  mutineers'  party ;  that  he  never  heard  Captain 
Bligh  speak  to  him ;  that  he  thinks,  from  his  situa- 
tion, he  could  not  have  heard  him  ;  that  he  was  by 
no  means  guilty  of  levity  or  apparent  merriment  • 
that  he  heard  the  master-at-arms  call  out  to  keep 


192  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

them  belmv;  that  Mr.  Hallet  appeared  to  him  to 
he  very  much  confused ;  and  that  Mr.  Hay  ward  Hke- 
wise  appeared  to  be  very  much  confused. 

The  Court  asked,—"  As  you  say  you  did  not  look 
upon  the  prisoner  as  a  person  armed,  to  what  did 
you  allude  when  you  exclaimed,  '  Good  God,  Peter, 
what  do  you  do  with  that  V  "  Witness — "  I  look 
upon  it  as  an  accidental  thing." 

Captain  Edwards,  being-  asked  by  Heywood — "  Did 
I  surrender  myself  to  you  upon  the  arrival  of  the 
Pandora  at  Otaheite  ?"  Witness — "  Not  to  me,  to 
the  lieutenant.  I  apprehend  he  put  himself  in  my 
power.  I  always  understood  he  came  voluntarily ; 
our  boats  were  not  in  the  water."  Prisoner — "  Did 
I  give  you  such  information  respecting  myself  and 
the  Bounty  as  afterward  proved  true  ?"  Witness — 
"  He  gave  me  some  information  respecting  tlie  peo- 
ple on  the  island,  that  corroborated  with  Coleman's. 
I  do  not  recollect  the  particular  conversation,  but  in 
general  it  agreed  with  the  account  given  by  Cole- 
man." Prisoner — "When  I  told  you  that  I  went 
away  the  first  time  from  Otaheite  with  the  pirates, 
did  I  not  at  the  same  time  inform  you  that  it  was 
not  possible  for  me  to  separate  myself  from  Chris- 
tian, who  would  not  permit  any  man  of  the  party  to 
leave  him  at  that  time,  lest,  by  giving  intelligence, 
they  might  have  been  discovered  whenever  a  ship 
should  arrive  ]"  Witness — "  Yes,  but  I  do  not  recol- 
lect the  latter  part  of  it,  respecting  giving  intelli- 
gence." 

Mr.  Fryer  again  called  in  and  examined  by  Mr. 
Morrison. — Mr.  Fryer  states  he  saw  him  assist  in 
hoisting  out  the  boats ;  that  he  said  to  him  (Fryer), 
"  Go  down  below."  The  Court  asked,  "  Whether  it 
might  not  have  been  from  a  laudable  motive,  as  sup- 
posing your  assistance  at  that  time  might  have  pre- 
vented a  more  advantageous  effort?"  Witness— 
"Probably  it  might:  had  I  staid  in  the  ship,  he 
would  have  been  one  of  the  first  that  I  should  have 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  193 

Opened  rrty  mind  to,  from  his  good  behaviour  in  the 
former  part  of  the  voyage :"  states  his  belief,  that 
he  addressed  him  as  advice ;  and  that,  in  hoisting 
out  the  boat  he  was  assisting  Captain  Bligh. 

M?:  Cole,  the  boatswain,  states,  that  he  ordered 
Morrison  to  go  and  help  them  with  the  cutter ;  that 
he  told  him  the  boat  was  overloaded ;  that  Captain 
Bligh  had  begged  that  no  more  people  should  go  in 
her,  and  said  he  would  take  his  chance  in  the 
ship;  that  he  shook  Morrison  by  the  hand,  and 
said  he  would  do  him  justice  in  England;  that  he 
had  no  reason  to  suppose  him  concerned  in  the 
mutiny. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  Haytvard  states,  that  Morrison 
appeared  joyful,  and  supposed  him  to  be  one  of  the 
mutineers ;  on  being  asked  by  Morrison  if  he  could 
declare  before  God  and  the  court  that  what  he  stated 
was  not  the  result  of  a  private  pique.  Witness — 
"  Not  the  result  of  any  private  pique,  but  an  opinion 
formed  after  quitting  the  ship,  from  his  not  coming 
with  us,  there  being  more  boats  than  one ;  cannot 
say  they  might  have  had  the  cutter."  This  witness 
was  pleased  to  remember  nothing  that  was  in  favour 
of  the  prisoner. 

Lieutenant  Hallet  states,  he  saw  Morrison  under 
arms;  being  asked  in  what  part  of  the  ship,  he  says, 
"  1  did  not  see  him  under  arms  till  the  boat  was 
veered  astern,  and  he  was  Jhen  looking  over  the  taff- 
rail,  and  called  out,  in  a  jeering  manner,  'If  my 
friends  inquire  after  me,  tell  them  I  am  somewhere 
in  the  South  Seas.' " 

Captain  Edwards  bore  testimony  that  Morrison 
voluntarily  surrendered  himself. 

Mr.  Fryer  did  not  see  Morrison  armed ;  he  was  in 
his  watch,  and  he  considered  him  a  steady,  sober, 
attentive,  good  man ;  and  acknowledged,  that  if  he 
had  remained  in  the  ship,  with  the  view  of  retaking 
her,  Morrison  would  have  been  one  of  the  first  h© 
should  have  called  to  his  assistance. 


194  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

Mr.  Cole  gave  testimony  to  his  being  a  ff  an  of 
good  character,  attentive  to  his  duty,  and  he  never 
knew  any  harm  of  him. 

Mr.  Purcell  bore  witness  to  his  good  character, 
being  always  dihgent  and  attentive  ;  did  not  see  him 
under  arms  on  the  taffrail ;  never  heard  him  use  any 
jeering  speeches. 

Respecting  the  prisoner  Muspratty  Mr.  CoWs  evi- 
dence proves  that  he  had  a  musket  in  his  hands,  but 
not  till  the  latter  part  of  the  business;  it  is  also 
proved  that  he  assisted  in  getting  things  into  the 
launch.  Mr.' Peckover  saw  him  standing  on  the  fore- 
castle doing  nothing — he  was  not  armed. 

Lieutenant  Hayward  saw  Muspratt  among  the 
armed  men :  was  asked,  when  Captain  Bligh  used 
the  words,  "  Don't  let  the  boat  be  overloaded,  my 
lads," — "  I'll  do  you  justice  ;^'  do  you  understand  the 
latter  words,  "  My  lads,  I'll  do  you  justice,"  to  apply 
to  clothes  or  to  men,  whom  he  apprehended  might 
go  into  the  boat  ?  Witness — "  If  Captain  Bligh  made 
use  of  the  words  '  my  lads,'  it  was  to  the  people 
already  in  the  boat,  and  not  to  those  in  the  shi'p." 
The  Court — ^"To  whom  do  you  imagine  Captain 
Bhgh  alluded :  was  it,  in  your  opinion,  to  the  men 
in  the  boat  with  him,  or  to  any  persons  then  remain- 
ing in  the  ship  V  Witness — "  To  persons  remaining 
in  the  ship." 

Against  the  prisoners  pilison,  Burkitt,  and  Mill- 
ward  the  evidence  given  by  ail  the  witnesses  so 
clearly  and  distinctly  proved  they  were  under  arms 
the  whole  time,  and  actively  employed  against  Bligh, 
that  it  is  unnecessary  to  go  into  any  detail  as  far  as 
Ihey  are  concerned. 

The  Court  having  called  on  the  prisoners,  each 
separately,  for  his  defence,  Mr.  Heywood  delivered 
his  as  follows : — 

"  My  lords  and  gentlemen  of  this  honourable 
court, — Your  attention  has  already  been  sufficiently 
exercised  in  the  painful  narrative  of  this  trial ;  it  is 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  195 

Iherefore  my  duty  to  trespass  further  on  it  as  little 
as  possible. 

"  The  crime  of  mutiny,  for  which  I  am  now  ar- 
raigned, is  so  seriously  pregnant  with  every  danger 
and  mischief,  that  it  makes  the  person  so  accused, 
in  the  eyes,  not  only  of  military  men  of  every 
description,  but  of  every  nation,  appear  at  once 
the  object  of  unpardonable  guilt  and  exemplary  ven- 
geance. 

"  In  such  a  character  it  is  my  misfortune  to 
appear  before  this  tribunal,  and  no  doubt  I  must 
have  been  gazed  at  with  all  that  horror  and  indigna- 
tion which  the  conspirators  of  such  a  mutiny  as 
that  in  Captain  Bhgh's  ship  so  immediately  .pro- 
voke ;  hard,  then,  indeed  is  my  fate,  that  circum- 
stances should  so  occur  to  point  me  out  as  one  of 
them. 

"Appearances,  probably,  are  against  me,  but  they 
are  appearances  only ;  for  unless  1  may  be  deemed 
guilty  for  feeling  a*i-epugnance  at  embracing  death 
unnecessarily,  I  declare  before  this  court  and  the 
tribunal  of  Almighty  God,  1  am  innocent  of  the 
charge. 

"  I  chose  rather  to  defer  asking  any  questions  of 
the  witnesses  until  I  heard  the  whole  of  the  evi- 
dence ;  as  the  charge  itself,  although  I  knew  it  gene- 
rally, was  not  in  its  full  extent,  nor  in  particular 
points,  made  known  to  me  before  I  heard  it  read  by 
the  judge  advocate  at  the  beginning  of  the  trial; 
and  I  feel  myself  relieved  by  having  adopted  such  a 
mode,  as  it  enables  me  to  SPt  right  a  few  particulars 
of  a  narrative  wliich  I  had  the  honour  to  transmit 
to  the  Earl  of  Chatham,  containing  an  account  of 
all  that  passed  on  the  fatal  morning  of  the  28th  of 
April,  1789,  but  which,  from  the  confusion  the  ship 
was  in  during  the  mutiny,  I  might  have  mistaken,  or 
from  the  errors  of  an  imperfect  recollection  I  might 
have  misstated;  the  difference,  however,  will  now 
be  onen  to  correction ;  and  I  have  great  satisfaction 


196  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

in  observing,  that  the  mistakes  but  very  sligfhtly  re 
spect  my  part  of  the  transaction,  and  I  shall  conse- 
quently escape  the  imputation  of  endeavouring  to 
save  myself  by  imposing  on  my  judges. 

"  When  first  this  sad  event  took  place  I  vi^as  sleep- 
ing in  my  hammock  ;  nor,  till  the  very  moment  of 
being  awakened  from  it,  had  I  the  least  intimation 
of  what  was  going  on.  The  spectacle  was  as  sudden 
to  my  eyes  as  it  was  unknown  to  my  heart,  and 
•both  were  convulsed  at  the  scene. 

"  Matthew  Thompson  was  the  first  that  claimed 
my  attention  upon  waking :  he  was  sitting  as  a  sen- 
tinel over  the  arm-chest  and  my  berth,  and  informed 
me  that  the  captain  was  a  prisoner,  and  Christian 
had  taken  the  command  of  the  ship.  I  entreated 
for  permission  to  go  upon  deck ;  and  soon  after  the 
boatswain  and  carpenter  had  seen  me  in  my  berth, 
as  they  w^ere  going  up  the  fore-hatchv/ay,  I  followed 
them,  as  is  stated  in  their  evidence.  It  is  not  in  my 
power  to  describe  my  feelings  ftpon  seeing  the  cap 
tain  as  I  did,  who,  with  his  hands  tied  behind  liim, 
was  standing  on  the  quarter-deck,  a  little  abaft  the 
'  mizen-mast,  and  Christian  by  his  side.  My  faculties 
were  benumbed,  and  I  did  not  recover  the  power  of 
recollection,  until  called  to  by  somebody  to  take 
hold  of  the  tackle-fall,  and  assist  to  get  out  the 
launch,  which  I  found  was  to  be  given  to  the  captain 
instead  of  the  large  cutter,  already  in  the  watei 
alongside  the  ship.  It  were  in  vain  to  say  wha< 
things  I  put  into  the  boat,  but  many  were  handed  ii 
by  me;  and  in  doing  this  it  was  that  my  hanr. 
touched  the  cutlass  (for  I  will  not  attempt  to  deny 
what  tlie  carpenter  has  deposed),  though,  on  m} 
conscience,  I  am  persuaded  it  was  of  momentar\ 
duration,  and  innocent  as  to  intention.  The  forme, 
is  evident  from  its  being  unobserved  by  every  wit 
ness  who  saw  me  upon  deck,  some  of  whom  mu?' 
have  noticed  it  had  it  continued  a  single  minute 
and  the  latter  is  proved  by  the  only  person  who  IojA 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  197 

notice  of  the  circumstance,  and  has  also  deposed 
that  at  the  moment  he  beheld  me  I  was  apparently 
in  a  state  of  absolute  stupor.  The  poison,  there- 
fore, carries  with  it  its  antidote  ;  and  it  seems  need- 
less to  make  any  further  comment  on  the  e^ibject, 
for  no  man  can  he  weak  enoug-h  to  suppose,  that  if  1 
had  been  armed  for  the  pur[)ose  of  assisting  in  the 
mutiny,  I  should  have  resumed  a  weapon  in  the 
moment  of  triumph,  and  when  the  ship  was  so  com- 
pletely in  the  possession  of  the  party,  that  (as  more 
than  one  witness  has  emphatically  expressed  it)  all 
attempts  at  recovering  her  would  have  been  im- 
practicable. 

"  The  boat  and  ship,  it  is  true,  presented  them- 
selves to  me  without  its  once  occurring  that  I  was 
at  liberty  to  choose,  much  less  that  the  choice  I 
should  make  would  be  afterward  deemed  criminal; 
and  I  bitterly  deplore  that  my  extreme  youth  and 
inexperience  concurred  in  torturing  me  with  appre- 
hensions, and  prevented  me  from  preferring  the 
former ;  for  as  things  have  turned  out,  it  would  have 
saved  me  from  the  disgrace  of  appearing  before  you 
as  I  do  at  this  day — it  would  have  spared  the  sharp 
conflicts  of  my  own  mind  ever  since,  and  the  ago- 
nizing tears  of  a  tender  mother  and  my  much- 
beloved  sisters. 

"  Add  to  my  youth  and  inexperience,  that  I  was 
influenced  in  my  conduct  by  the  example  of  my 
messmates,  Mr.  Hallet  and  Mr.  Hayward,  the  former 
of  whom  was  very  much  agitated,  and  the  latter, 
though  he  had  been  many  years  at  sea,  yet,  when 
Christiau  ordered  him  into  'the  boat,  he  was  evi- 
dently alarmed  at  the  perilous  situation,  and  so  much 
overcome  by  the  harsh  command  that  he  actually 
shed  tears. 

"My  own  apprehensions  were  far  from  being  les- 
sened at  such  a  circumstance  as  this,  and  I  fearfully 
oeheld  the  preparations  for  the  captain's  departure 
ds  the  prehminaries  of  inevitable  destruction,  which. 


198  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

althoug-h  I  did  not  think  could  be  more  certain,  yet 
I  feared  would  be  more  speedy,  by  the  least  addition 
to  their  number. 

"  To  show  that  I  have  no  disposition  to  impose 
upon  this  court  by  endeavouring  to  paint  the  situa- 
tion of  the  boat  to  be  worse  than  it  really  was,  I 
need  only  refer  to  the  captain's  own  narrative, 
wherein  he  says  that  she  would  have  sunk  with 
them  on  the  evening  of  the  3d  May,  had  it  not  been 
for  his  timely  caution  of  throwing  out  some  of  the 
stores,  and  ail  the  clothes  belonging  to  the  people, 
excepting  two  suits  for  each. 

"  Now  what  clothes  or  stores  could  they  have 
spared  which  in  weight  would  have  been  'equal  to 
that  of  two  men  ]  (for  if  I  had  been  in  her,  and  the 
poor  fellow  Norton  had  not  been  murdered  at 
Tofoa,  she  would  have  been  encumbered  with  our 
additional  weight) — and  if  it  be  true  that  she  was 
saved  by  those  means,  which  the  captain  says  she 
was,  it  must  follow  that  if  Norton  and  myself  had 
been  in  her  (to  say  nothing  of  Coleman,  M'Intosh, 
Norman,  and  Byrne,  who,  it  is  confessed,  were  desi- 
rous of  leaving  the  ship),  she  must  either  have  gone 
down  with  us,  or,  to  prevent  it,  we  must  have  light- 
ened her  of  the  provisions  and  other  necessary  arti- 
cles, and  thereby  have  perished  for  want — dreadful 
alternative ! 

"A  choice  of  deaths  to  those  who  are  certain  of 
dying  may  be  a  matter  of  indifference ;  but  where, 
on  one  hand,  death  appears  inevitable,  and  the  means 
of  salvation  present  themselves  on  the  other,  how- 
ever imprudent  it  might  be  to  resort  to  those  means 
in  any  other  less  trying  situation,  I  think  (and  hope 
even  at  my  present  time  of  life)  that  I  shall  not  be 
suspected  of  a  want  of  courage  for  saying,  few 
would  hesitate  to  embrace  the  latter. 

"  Such,  then,  was  exactly  my  situation  on  board 
the  Bounty ;  to  be  starved  to  death,  or  drowned,  ap 
peared  to  be  inevitable  if  I  went  in  the  boat ;  and 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  199 

surely  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  if  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years,  with  no  one  to  advise  with,  and  so 
ignorant  of  the  discipline  of  tlie  service  (having 
never  been  at  sea  before)  as  not  to  know  or  even 
suppose  it  was  possible  that  what  I  should  determine 
upon  might  afterward  be  alleged  against  me  as  a 
crime — I  say,  under  such  circumstances,  in  so  trying 
a  situation,  can  it  be  wondered  at  if  I  suffered  the 
preservation  of  my  life  to  be  the  first,  and  to  super- 
cede every  other  consideration.  • 

"  Besides,  through  the  medium  of  the  master,  the 
captain  had  directed  the  rest  of  the  officers  to  remain 
on  board,  in  hopes  of  retaking  the  ship.  Such  is 
the  master's  assertion,  and  such  the  report  on  board, 
and  as  it  accorded  with  my  own  wishes  for  the  pre- 
servation of  my  life,  I  felt  myself  doubly  justified  in 
staying  on  board,  not  only  as  it  appeared  to  be  safer 
than  going  in  the  boat,  but  from  a  consideration  also 
of  being  in  the  way  to  be  useful  in  assisting  to  ac- 
complish so  desirable  a  wish  of  the  captain. 

"  Let  it  not — for  God's  sake — let  it  not  be  argued 
that  my  fears  were  groundless,  and  that  the  arrival 
of  the  boat  at  Timor  is  a  proof  that  my  conduct 
was  wrong.  This  w^ould  be  judging  from  the  event, 
and  I  think  I  have  plainly  shown,  that  but  for  the 
death  of  Norton  at  Tofoa,  and  the  prudent  order  of 
the  captain  not  to  overload  the  boat,  neither  himself 
nor  any  of  the  people  who  were  saved  with  him 
would  at  this  moment  have  been  alive  to  have  pre- 
ferred any  charge  against  me,  or  given  evidence  at 
this  trial. 

"  If  deliberate  guilt  be  necessarily  afl^ixed  to  all 
who  continued  on  board  the  ship,  and  that  in  conse- 
quence they  must  be  numbered  w^ith  Christian's 
party — in  such  a  strict  view  of  matters  it  must  irre- 
voca!)ly  impeach  the  armourer  and  tw^o  carpenter's 
mates,  as  well  as  Martin  and  Byrne,  who  certainly 
wished  to  quit  the  ship.  And  if  Christian's  first  in- 
tention of  sending  away  the  captain,  with  a  few  per- 


200  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

orio  only,  in  the  small  cutter,  had  not  been  given 
up,  or  if  even  the  large  cutter  had  not  been  ex- 
changed for  the  launch,  more  than  half  of  those  who 
did  go  with  him  would  have  been  obliged  to  stay 
with  me.  Forgetful  for  a  moment  of  my  own  mis- 
fortunes, I  caimot  help  being  agitated  at  the  bare 
thought  of  their  narrow  escape. 

"  Everybody  must,  and  I  am  sure  that  this  court 
will,  allow  that  my  case  is  a  peculiarly  hard  one, 
inasmuch  as  the  running  away  with  the  ship  is  a 
proof  of  the  mutiny  having  b^n  committed.  The 
innocent  and  the  guilty  are  upon  exactly  the  same 
footing — had  the  former  been  confined  by  sickness, 
without  a  leg  to  stand  on,  or  an  arm  to  assist  them  in 
opposing  the  mutineers,  they  must  have  been  put 
upon  their  trial,  and  instead  of  the  captain  being 
obliged  to  prove  their  guilt,  it  would  have  been  in- 
cumbent upon  them  to  have  proved  themselves  inno- 
cent. How  can  this  be  done  but  negatively  ?  If  all 
who  wished  it  could  not  accompany  the  captain, 
they  were  necessarily  compelled  to  stay  with  Chris- 
tian ;  and  being  with  him,  were  dependent  on  him, 
subject  to  his  orders,  however  disinclined  to  obey 
them,  for  force  in  such  a  state  is  paramount  to  every 
thing.  But  when,  on  the  contrary,  instead  of  being 
in  arms,  or  obeying  any  orders  of  the  mutineers,  I 
did  every  thing  in  my  power  to  assist  the  captain 
and  those  who  went  with  him,  and  by  all  my  actions 
(except  in  neglecting  to  do  what,  if  I  had  done, 
must  have  endangered  the  lives  of  those  who  were 
so  fortunate  as  to  quit  the  ship)  T  showed  myself 
faithful  to  the  last  moment  of  the  captain's  stay, 
what  is  there  to  leave  a  doubt  in  the  minds  of  im- 
partial *and  dispassionate  men  of  my  being  perfectly- 
innocent  ?  Happy  indeed  should  I  have  been  if 
the  master  had  staid  on  board,  which  he  probably 
would  have  done,  if  his  reasons  for  wishing  to  do  so 
haa  not  been  overh-^ard  by  the  man  who  was  in  the 
bread-room. 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  201 

"  Captain  Bligh  in  his  narrative  acknowledg-es  that 
he  had  left  some  friends  on  board  the  Boinity,  and 
no  par*  of  my  conduct  could  have  induced  him  1o  be- 
lieve that  I  ought  not  to  be  reckoned  of  the  number. 
Indeed  from  his  attention  to  and  very  kind  treatment 
of  me  personally,  1  should  have  been  a  monster  of 
depravity  to  have  betrayed  him.  The  idea  alone  ^s 
sufficient  to  disturb  a  mind  where  humanity  and 
gratitude  have,  I  hope,  ever  been  noticed  as  its.char- 
acteristic  features  ;  and  yet  Mr.  Hallet  has  said  that 
he  saw  me  laugh  at  a  time  when.  Heaven  knows, 
the  conflict  in  my  own  mind,  independent  of  the* 
captain's  situation,  rendered  such  a  want  of  decency 
impossible.  The  charge  in  its  nature  is  dreadful, 
but  I  boldly  declare,  notwithstanding  an  internal 
conviction  of  my  innocence  has  enabled  me  to  en- 
dure my  sufferings  for  the  last  sixteen  months,  could 
I  have  laid  to  my  heart  so  heavy  an  accusation,  I 
should  not  have  lived  to  defend  myself  from  it.  And 
this  biings  to  my  recollection  another  part  of 
Captain  Bligh's  narrative,  in  which  he  says,  '  I  was 
kept  apart  from  everv^  one,  and  all  I  could  do  was  by 
speaking  to  them  in  general,  but  my  endeavours 
were  of  no  avail,  for  I  was  kept  securely  bound,  and 
no  one  but  the  guard  was  suffered  to  come  near  me.' 

"If  the  captain,  whose  narrative  we  may  suppose 
to  have  been  a  detail  of  every  thing  which  happened 
could  only  recollect  that  he  had  spoken  generally  to 
the  people,  I  trust  it  will  hardly  be  believed  that  Mr. 
Hallet,  without  notes,  at  so  distant  a  period  as  this, 
should  be  capLrble  of  recollecting  that  he  heard  him 
speak  to  any  one  in  particular  ;  and  here  it  may  not 
be  improper  to  observe,  that  at  the  time  to  which  1 
allude,  Mr.  Hallet  (if  I  am  rightly  informed)  could 
not  have  been  more  than  fifteen  years  of  age.  I 
mean  not  to  impeach  his  courage,  but  I  think  if  cir- 
cumstances be  considered,  and  an  adequate  idea  of 
tlie  confused  stale  of  the  ship  can  be  formed  by  this 
Court,  it  will  not  appear  probable  that  this  young 


203  THE    COURT-MAFiTlAl..  ♦ 

g"entleman  should  have  been  so  perfectly  unembar- 
rassed as  to  be  able  to  particularize  the  muscles  of 
a  iiian's  countenance,  even  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  him;  and  what  is  still  more  extraordinary  is, 
lliat  he  heard  the  captain  call  to  me  from  abaft  the 
mizen  to  the  platform  where  I  was  standing,  which 
required  an  exertion  of  voice,  and  must  have  been 
heard  and  noticed  by  all  who  were  present,  as  the 
captain  and  Christian  were  at  that  awful  moment  the 
objects  of  every  one's  pecuUar  attention;  yet  he 
who  w^as  standing  between  us,  and  noticing  the 
transactions  of  us  both,  could  not  hear  what  was 
said. 

"To  me  it  has  ever  occurred  that  diffidence  is 
very  becoming,  and  of  all  human  attainments  a 
knowledge  of  ourselves  is  the  most  difficult;  and  if, 
in  the  ordinary  course  of  life,  it  is  not  an  easy  matter 
precisely  to  account  for  our  own  actions,  how  much 
nivjre  difficult  and  hazardous  must  it  be,  in  new  and 
momentous  scenes,  w-hen  the  mind  is  hurried  and 
distressed  by  conflicting  passions,  to  judge  of  an- 
other's conduct;  and  yet  here  are  two  young  men, 
who,  after  a  lapse  of  near  four  years  (in  which 
period  one  of  them,  like  m5'^self,  has  grown  from  a 
boy  to  be  a  man),  without  hesitation,  in  a  matter  oji 
which  my  life  is  depending,  undertake  to  account  for 
some  of  my  actions,  at  a  time,  too,  when  some  of 
the  most  experienced  officers  in  the  ship  are  not 
ashamed  to  acknowledge  they  were  overcome  by  the 
confusion  which  the  mutiny  occasioned,  and  are  in- 
capable of  recollecting  a  number  of  their  own  trans- 
actions on  that  day. 

"  1  can  only  oppose  to  such  open  boldness  the 
calm  suggestions  of  reason,  and  would  willingly  be 
persuaded  that  the  impression  under  which  this 
evidence  has  been  given  is  not  in  any  degree  open  to 
suspicion.  I  would  be  understood,  at  the  same  time, 
not  to  mean  any  thing  injurious  to  the  character  of 
Mr.  Hallet :  and  for  Mr.  Hayward,  I  ever  loved  him, 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  203 

and  must  do  him  the  justice  to  declare,  that  what- 
ever cause  I  may  have  to  deplore  the  effect  of  his 
evidence,  or  rather  his  opinion,  for  he  has  deposed 
no  fact  against  me,  yet  I  am  convinced  it  was  given 
conscientiously,  and  viath  a  tenderness  and  feeling 
becoming  a  man  of  honour. 

"  But  may  they  not  both  be  mistaken  1  Let  it  be 
remembered  that  their  long  intimacy  with  Captain 
Bligh,  in  whose  distresses  they  were  partakers,  and 
whose  sufl'erings  were  severely  felt  by  them,  natu- 
rally begot  an  abhorrence  towards  those  whom  thaiy 
thoughtlhe  authors  of  their  misery; — might  they  not 
forget  that  the  story  had  been  told  to  them,  and  by 
first  of  all  believing,  then  constantly  thinking  of  it, 
be  persuaded  at  last  it  was  a  fact  within  the  compass 
of  their  own  knowledge  1 

"  It  is  the  more  natural  to  believe  it  is  so,  from 
Mr.  Hallet's  forgetting  what  the  captain  said  upon  the 
occasion  ;  which,  had  he  been  so  collected  as  he  pre- 
tends to  have  been,  he  certainly  must  have  heard. 
Mr.  Hay  ward,  also,  it  is  evident,  has  made  a  mistake 
in  point  of  time  as  to  the  seeing  me  with  Morrison 
and  Millward  upon  the  booms;  for  the  boatswain 
and  carpenter  in  their  evidence  have  said,  and  the 
concurringtestimony  of  every  one  supports  the  fact, 
that  the  mutiny  had  taken  place,  and  the  captain  was 
on  deck,  before  they  came  up,  and  it  was  not  till 
after  that  time  that  the  boatswain  called  Morrison 
and  Millvvard  out  of  their  hammocks ;  therefore,  to 
have  seen  me  at  all  upon  the  booms  with  those  two 
men,  it  must  have  been  long  after  the  time  that  Mr. 
Hayward  has  said  it  was.  Again,  Mr.  Hayward  has 
said  that  he  could  not  recollect  the  day  nor  even  the 
month  when  the  Pandora  arrived  at  Otaheite.  Nei- 
ther did  Captain  Edwards  recollect  when,  on  his 
return,  he  wrote  to  the  Admiralty  that  Michael 
Byrne  had  surrendered  himself  as  one  of  the 
Bounty's  people,  but  in  that  letter  he  reported  him 
a5  having  been  apprehended,  wdiich  plainly  shows 


204  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

that  the  memory  is  falhble  to  a  very  great  degree; 
and  it  is  a  fair  conclusion  to  draw,  that  if  when  the 
minJ  is  at  rest,  which  must  have  been  the  case  with 
Mr.  Hayward  in  the  Pandora,  and  things  of  a  few 
months'  date  are  difficult  to  be  remembered,  it  is 
next  to  impossible,  in  the  state  which  everybody 
was  on  board  the  Bounty,  to  remember  their  par- 
ticular actions  at  the  distance  of  three  years  and  a 
half  after  they  were  observed. 

"  As  to  the  advice  he  says  he  gave  me  to  go  into 
fee  boat,  I  can  only  say  I  have  a  faint  recollection 
of  a  short  conversation  with  somebody, — I  thought 
it  was  Mr.  Stewart ; — but  be  that  as  it  may,  I  think 
I  mny  take  upon  me  to  say  it  was  on  deck,  and  not 
below ;  for  on  hearing  it  suggested  that  I  should  be 
deemed  guilty  if  I  staid  in  the  ship,  1  went  down 
directly,  and  in  passing  Mr.  Cole,  told  him,  in  a  low 
tone  of  voice,  that  I  would  fetch  a  few  necessaries  in 
a  bag  and  follow  him  into  the  boat,  which  at  that 
time  I  meant  to  do,  but  was  afterward  prevented. 

"Surely  I  shall  not  be  deemed  criminal  that  I 
hesitated  at  getting  into  a  boat  whose  gunnel,  when 
she  left  the  ship,  was  not  quite  eight  inches  above  the 
surface  of  the  water.  And  if,  in  the  moment  of 
unexpected  trial,  fear  and  confusion  assailed  my 
untaught  judgment,  and  that  by  remaining  in  the 
ship  I  appeared  to  deny  my  commander,  it  was  in 
appearance  only — it  was  the  sin  of  my  head — for  I 
solemnly  assure  you  before  God,  that  it  was  not  the 
vileness  of  my  heart. 

"  I  was  surprised  into  my  error  by  a  mixture  of 
ignorance,  apprehension,  and  the  prevalence  of  ex- 
ample ;  and,  alarmed  as  I  was  from  my  sleep,  there 
was  little  opportunity  and  less  time  for  better  recol- 
lection. The  captain,  I  am  persuaded,  did  not  see 
me  during  the  mutiny,  for  I  retired,  as  it  were,  in 
sorrowful  suspense,  alternately  agitated  between 
hope  and  fear,  not  knowing  what  to  do.  The  dread 
of  being  asked  by  him,  or  of  being   ordered  by 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  205 

Christian,  to  go  into  the  boat, — or,  Avhicl  appeared 
to  me  worse  than  either,  of  being  desired  by  the 
latter  to  join  his  party,  induced  me  to  Iieep  out  of 
the  sight  of  both,  until  I  was  a  second  time  confined 
m  my  berth  by  Thompson,  when  the  determination 
I  had  made  was  too  late  to  be  useful. 

"One  instance  of  my  conduct  I  had  nearly  for- 
gotten, w^hich,  W'ith  much  anxiety  and  great  astonish- 
ment, 1  have  heard  observed  upon  and  considered  as  a 
fault,  though  I  had  imagined  it  blameless,  if  not  lauda- 
ble— 1  mean  the  assistance  I  gave  in  hoisting  out  the 
launch,  w^hich,  by  a  mode  of  expression  of  the  boat- 
swain's, who  says  I  did  it  voluntarily  (meaning  that 
I  did  not  refuse  my  assistance  when  he  asked  me  to 
give  it),  the  Court,  I  am  afraid,  has  considered  it  as 
giving  assistance  to  the  mutineers,  and  not  done  with 
a  view  to  help  the  captain;  of  which,  however,  I 
have  no  doubt  of  being  able  to  give  a  satisfactory 
explanation  in  evidence. 

"  Observations  on  matters  of  opinion  I  will  en- 
deavour to  forbear,  where  they  appear  to  have  been 
formed  from  the  impulse  of  the  moment ;  but  I  shall 
be  pardoned  for  remembering  Mr.  Hay  ward's  (given, 
I  will  allow,  with  great  deliberation,  and  after  long 
weighing  the  question  which  called  for  it),  which 
cannot  be  reckoned  of  that  description,  for  although 
he  says  he  rather  considered  me  as  a  friend  to 
Christian's  party,  he  states  that  his  last  words  to  me 
were,  "  Peter,  go  into  the  boat ;"  which  words  could 
not  have  been  addressed  to  one  who  was  of  the 
party  of  the  mutineers.  And  I  am  sure,  if  the  coun- 
tenance is  at  all  an  index  to  the  hear!,  mine  must 
have  betrayed  the  sorrow  and  distress  he  has  so  ac 
curately  described. 

"  It  were  trespassing  unnecessarily  upon  the  pa- 
tience of  the  Court,  to  be  giving  a  tedious  histoi 
of  what  happened  in  consequence  of  the  mutiny, 
and  how,  through  one  very  imprudent  step,  I  was 
unavoidably  led  into  others. 

Q 


206  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

"  But,  amid  all  this  pilgrimage  of  distress;  I  bad  a 
conscience,  thank  Heaven,  wliich  lulled  away  the 
pain  of  personal  difficulties,  .dangers,  and  distress. 
It  wiis  this  conscious  principle  which  determined 
me  not  to  hide  myself  as  if  guilty.  No — I  wel- 
<:omed  the  arrival  of  the  Pandora  at  Otaheite,  and 
embraced  the  earhest  opportunity  of  freely  surren- 
dering myself  to  the  captain  of  that  ship. 

"  By  his  order  I  was  chained  and  punished  with 
incredible  severity,  though  the  ship  was  threatened 
with  instant  destruction :  when  fear  and  trembling 
came  on  every  man  on  board,  in  vain,  for  a  long 
time,  were  my  earnest  repeated  cries,  that  the 
galling  irons  might  not,  in  that  moment  of  affrighting 
consternation,  prevent  my  hands  from  being  lifted 
up  to  Heaven  for  mercy. 

"  But  though  it  cannot  fail  deeply  to  interest  the 
humanity  of  this  Court,  and  kindle  in  the  breast  of 
every  msmber  of  it  compassion  for  my  sufferings, 
yet  as  it  is  not  relative  to  the  point,  and  as  I  cannot 
for  a  moment  beheve  that  it  proceeded  from  ;my  im- 
proper motive  on  the  part  of  Captain  Edwards, 
whose  character  in  the  navy  stands  high  in  estima- 
tion both  as  an  officer  and  a  man  of  humanity,  but 
rather  that  he  was  actuated  in  his  conduct  towards 
me  by  the  imperious  dictates  of  the  laws  of  the 
service,  I  sliall  therefore  waive  it,  and  say  no  more 
upon  the  subject. 

"  Believe  me,  again  I  entreat  ^ou  will  believe  me, 
when  in  the  name  of  the  tremendous  Judge  of  heaven 
and  earth  (before  whose  vindictive  Majesty  I  may 
be  destined  soon  to  appear),  1  now  assert  my  inno- 
cence of  plotting,  abetting,  or  assisting,  either  by 
word  or  deed,  the  mutiny  for  wdiich  I  am  tried — for, 
young  as  1  am,  I  am  still  younger  in  the  school  of 
art  and  such  matured  infamy. 

"  My  parents  (but  1  have  only  one  left,  a  solitary 
and  mournful  mother,  who  is  at  home  weeping  and 
trembling  for  the  event  of  this  day),  thanks  to  their 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  207 

fostering  care,  taught  me  betimes  to  reverence  God, 
to  honour  the  king,  and  be  obedient  to  his  laws ; 
and  at  no  one  time  have  I  resohitely  or  designedly 
been  an  apostate  to  either. 

"  To  this  honourable  Court,  then,  I  now  commit 
myself. 

"  My  character  and  my  life  are  at  your  disposa? ; 
and  as  the  former  is  as  sacred  to  jne  as  the  latter 
is  precious,  the  consolation  or  settled  misery  of  a 
dear  mother  and  two  sisters,  who  mingle  their  tears 
together,  and  are  all  but  frantic  for  my  situation- 
pause  for  vour  verdict. 

"  If  1  ani  found  worthy  of  life,  it  shall  be  improved 
by  past  experience,  and'  especially  taught  from  the 
serious  lesson  of  what  has  lately  happened ;  but  if 
nothing  but  death  itself  can  atone  for  my  pitiable 
indiscretion,  I  bow  with  submission  and  all  due  re- 
spect to  your  impartial  decision. 

"  Not  with  sullen  indifference  shall  I  then  medi- 
tate on  my  doom  as  not  deserving  it — no,  such  be- 
haviour w^ould  be  an  insult  to  God  and  an  affront  to 
man,  and  the  attentive  and  candid  deportment  of 
my  judges  in  this  place  requires  more  becommg 
manners  in  me. 

"  Yet,  if  I  am  found  guilty  this  day,  they  will  not 
construe  it,  I  trust,  as  the  least  disrespect  offered 
to  their  discernment  and  opinion,  if  I  solemnly  de- 
clare that  my  heart  will  rely  with  confidence  in  its 
own  innocence,  until  that  awful  period  when  my 
spirit  shall  be  about  to  be  separated  from  my  body, 
to  take  its  everlasting  flight,  and  be  ushered  into  the 
j>resence  of  that  unerring  Judge,  before  whom  all 
hearts  are  open  and  from  whom  no  secrets  are  hid. 

"  P.  Heywood." 

His  witnesses  fully  established  the  facts  which 
he  assumed  -in  this  defence.  He  then  delivered  to 
the  president  a  paper,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
copy : — 


208  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

"My  Lord, — :The  Court  having  heard  the  witnesses 
I  have  been  enabled  to  call,  it  will  be  unnecessary 
to  add  any  thing  to  their  testimony  in  point  of  facr, 
or  to  observe  upon  it  by  way  of  ilhistration.  It  is, 
I  trust,  sufficient  to  do  away  any  suspicion  which 
may  have  fallen  upon  me,  and  to  ren<ove  every  ini- 
plication  of  guilt  which,  while  unexphiined,  might 
by  possibility  ^ave  attached  to  me.  It  is  true  I 
have,  by  the  absence  of  Captain  Bligh,  Simpson,  and 
Tinkler,  been  deprived  of  the  opportunity  of  laying 
before  the  Court  much  that  would  at  least  have  been 
grateful  to  my  feelings,  though  I  hope  not  necessary 
to  my  defence ;  as  the  former  must  have  exculpated 
me  from  the  least  disrespect,  and  the  two  last  would 
have  proved,  past  all  contradiction,  that  I  was  un- 
justly accused.  I  might  regret  that  in  their  absence 
1  have  been  arraigned,  but,  thank  Heaven,  I  have 
been  enabled,  by  the  very  witnesses  who  were  called 
to  crnninate  me,  to  oppose  facts  to  opinions,  and  give 
explanation  to  circumstances  of  suspicion. 

"  It  has  been  proved  that  I  was  asleep  at  the  time 
of  the  mutiny,  and  waked  only  to  confusion  and 
dismay.  It  has  been  proved,  it  is  true,  that  I  con- 
tinued' on  board  the  ship,  but  it  has  been  also  proved 
I  was  detained  by  force ;  and  to  this  I  must  add,  I 
left  the  society  of  those  with  w^hom  I  was  for  a 
time  obliged  to  associate,  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
with  unbounded  satisfaction  resigned  myself  to  the 
captain  of  the  Pandora,  to  whom  I  gave  myself  up, 
to  whom  I  also  delivered  my  journal*  (faithfully 
brought  up  to  the  preceding  day),  and  to  whom  I  also 
gave  every  information  in  my  powder.  I  could  do 
no  more  ;  for  at  the  first  time  w^e  were  at  Otaheite 
it  was  impossible  for  me,  watched  and  suspected  as 
I  was,  to  separate  from  the  ship.  I\Iy  information 
to  Captain  Edwards  was  open,  sincere,  and  unquali- 
fied, and  I  had  many  opportunities  given  me  at  dif- 

^  This  journal,  it  is  presumed,  must  have  been  lost  when  the  Pan- 
dora was  wrecked. 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  209 

ferent  times  of  repeating  it.  Had  :i  track  been  open 
to  my  native  country,  I  should  have  followed  it ;  liad 
a  vessel  arrived  earlier,  I  should  earlier  with  the 
same  eagerness  have  embraced  the  opportunity,  for 
I  dreaded  not  an  inquiry  in  winch  I  foresaw  no 
discredit!  But  Providence  ordained  it  otherwise. 
I  have  been  tlie  victim  of  suspicion,  and  had  nearly 
fallen  a  sacrifice  to  misapprehension.  I  have,  how- 
ever, hitherto  surmounted  it,  and  it  only  remains 
with  this  Court  to  say,  if  my  sufferings  have  not 
been  equal  to  my  indiscretion. 

"The  decision"  will  be  the  voice  of  honour,  and 
to  that  I  must  implicitly  resign  myself. 

"P.  Hevwood." 

Mr.  MornsoTi's  Defence 

Sets  out  by  stating  that  he  was  waked  at  daylight 
by  Mr.  Cole  the  boatswain,  who  told  him  that  t.h« 
ship  was  taken  by  Christian ;  that  he  assisted  in 
clearing  out  the  boat  at  Mr.  Cole's  desire,  and  says, 
"  While  I  Avas  thus  employed  Mr.  Fryer  came  to 
me  and  asked  if  I  had  any  hand  in  the  mutiny;  I 
told  him  no.  He  then  desired  me  to  see  who  I 
could  find  to  assist  me,  and  try  to  rescue  the  ship ; 
I  told  him  I  feared  it  was  then  too  late,  but  would 
do  my  endeavour  ;  w^hen  John  Millward,  who  stood 
by  me,  and  heard  what  Mr.  Fryer  said,  swore  he 
would  stand  by  me  if  an  opportunity  offered.  Mr. 
Fryer  was  about  to  speak  again,  but  was  prevented 
by  Matthew  Quintal,  who,  with  a  pistol  in  one  hand, 
collared  hnn  with  the  other,  saying,  '  Come,  Mr. 
Fryer,  you  must  go  down  into  your  cabin ;'  and 
hauled  him  away.  Churchill  then  came,  and  shak- 
ing his  cutlass  at  me,  demanded  what  Mr.  Fryei 
said.  I  told  him  that  he  only  asked  me  if  they  were 
going  to  have  the  long-boat,  upon  which  Alexandei 
Smith  (Adams),  who  stood  on  the  opposite  side  of  . 
the  b^at,  said,  '  T  s  a  d — d  lie,  Charley,  for  I  saw 


210  THK    COURT-MARTIAL. 

him  and  Millward  shake  hands  when  the  mastei 
spoke  to  them.'  Churchill  then  said  to  me,  '  I 
would  have  you  mind  how  you  come  on,  for  I  have 
an  eye  upon  you.'  Smith  at  the  same  time  called 
out, '  Stand  to  your  arms,  for  they  intend  to  make 
a  rush.'  This,  as  it  was  intended,  put  the  mutineers 
on  their  guard,  and  I  found  it  necessary  to  be  very 
cautious  how  I  acted ;  and  I  heard  Captain  Bligh 
say  to  Smith,  '  I  did  not  expect  you  would  be 
against  me,  Smith;'  I-rut  I  could  not  hear  what  an- 
swer he  made." 

He  says,  that  while  clearing  the  boat,  he  heard 
Christian  order  Churchill  to  see  that  no  arms  were 
put  into  her;  to  keep  Norman,  M'Intosh,  and  Cole- 
man in  the  ship,  and  get  the  officers  into  the  boat 
as  fast  as  possible  ;  that  Mr.  Fryer  begged  permis- 
sion to  stay,  but  to  no  purpose.  "  On  seeing  Mr. 
Fryer  and  most  of  the  officers  going  into  the  boat, 
without  the  least  appearance  of  an  effort  to  rescue 
the  ship,  I  began  to  reflect  on  my  own  situation ; 
and  seeing  the  situation  of  the  boat,  and  considering 
that  she  was  at  least  a  thousand  leagues  from  any- 
friendly  settlement,  and  judging,  from  what  I  had 
seen  of  the  Friendly  Islaliders  but  a  few  days  before, 
that  nothing  could  be  expected  from  them  but  to  be 
plundered  or  killed,  and  seeing  no  choice  but  of  one 
evil,  I  chose  as  I  thought  the  least,  to  stay  in  the 
ship,  especially  as  I  considered  it  as  obeying  Captain 
Bligh's  orders,  and  depending  on  his  promise  to  do 
justice  to  those  who  remained.  I  informed  Mr.  Cole 
of  my  intention,  who  made  me  the  like  promise,  taking 
me  by  the  hand  and  saying,  '  God  bless  you,  my 
boy  ;  I  will  do  you  justice  if  ever  I  reach  England.' 

"  I  also  informed  Mr.  Hayward  of  my  intention ; 
and  on  his  dropping  a  hint  to  me  that  he  intended 
to  knock  Churchill  down,  I  told  him  I  would  second 
him,  pointing  to  some  of  the  Friendly  Island  clubs 
which  were  sticking  in  the  booms,  and  SiU'ing, 
'There  were  tools  enough:'  but  (he  adds)  I  was 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  211 

suddenly  damped  to  find  that  he  went  into  the  boat 
without  making  the  attempt  he  liad  proposed."* 

He  then  appeals  to  the  inembers  of  the  Court, 
as  to  the  alternative  they  would  themselves  have 
taken : — "  A  boat  alongside,  already  crowded  ;  those 
who  were  in  her  crying  out  she  would  sink ;  und 
Captain  Bligh  desiring  no  more  might  go  in — with 
a  slender  stock  of  provisions, — what  hope  could 
there  be  to  reach  any  friendly  shore,  or  withstand 
the  hostile  attacks  of  the  boisterous  elements  ?  The 
perils  those  underwent  who  reached  the  islan*!  of 
Timor,  and  whom  nothing  but  the  apparent  inter- 
ference of  Divine  Providence  could  have  saved, 
fully  justify  my  fears,  and  prove  beyond  a  doubt 
that  they  rested  on  a  solid  foundation :  for  by  stay- 
ing in  the  ship,  an  opportunity  mig|jt  offer  of  es- 
caping, but  by  going  in  the  boat  nothing  but  death 
appea^red,  either  from  the  lingering  torments  of  hun- 
ger and  thirst,  or  from  the  murderous  v/eapcns  of 
cruel  savages,  or  being  swallowed  up  by  the  deep. 

"  I  have  endeavoured,"  he  says,  "  to  recall  to  Mr. 
Hayward's  remembrance  a  proposal  he  at  one  time 
made,  by  words,  of  attacking  the  mutineers,  and  of 
my  encouraging  him  to  the  attempt,  promising  to 
back  him.  He  says  he  has  but  a  faint  recollection 
of  the  business — so  faint,  indeed,  that  he  cannot  recall 
to  Lis  memory  the  particulars,  but  owi^.s  there  wys 
somethhig  passed  to  that  effect.  Faint,  however, 
as  his  remembrance  is  (which  for  me  is  the  more 
unfortunate),  ought  it  not  to  do  away  all  doubt  with 
respect  to  the  motives  by  which  I  was  then  influ- 
enced V  And,  in  conclusion,  he  says,  "  I  beg  leave 
most  humbly  to  remind  the  members  of  this  hon- 
ourable Court,  that  I  did  freely,  and  of  my  own 
accord,  deliver  myself  up  to  Lieutenaat  Robert 
Corner,  of  H.  M.  S.  Pandora,  on  the  first  certain 
notice  of  her  arrival." 


212  THE    COURT-MARTIAL. 

William  Musprait''s  Defence 

Declares  his  innocence  of  any  participation  in  the 
mutiny  ;  admits  he  assisted  in  hoisting  out  the  boat, 
and  in  putting  several  articles  into  her;  after  which 
he  sat  down  on  the  booms,  when  Mill  ward  came  and 
mentioned  to  him  Mr.  Fryer's  intention  to  rescue 
the  ship,  when  he  said  he  would  stand  by  Mr.  Fryei 
as  far  as  he  could ;  and  with  that  intention,  and  for 
that  purpose  only,  he  took  up  a  musket  which  one 
of  the  people  fiad  laid  down,  and  which  he  quitted 
the  moment  he  saw  Bligh's  people  get  into  the  boat. 
Solemnly  denies  the  charge  of  MrrPurcell  against 
him,  of  handing  liquor  to  the  ship's  company.  Mr. 
Hayward's  evidence,  he  trusts,  must  stand  so  im- 
peached  befoij^  the  Court  as  not  to  receive  the  leEisi 
attention,  w^hen  the  lives  of  so  many  men  are  to  be 
affected  by  it — for,  he  observes,  he  swears  that 
Morrison  was  a  mutineer,  because  he  assisted  in 
hoisting  out  the  boats ;  and  that  M'Intosh  was  not 
a.  mutineer,  notwithstanding  he  w^as  precisely  em- 
ployed on  the  same  business— that  he  criminated 
Morrison  from  the  appearance  of  his  countenance- 
that  he  had  only  a  faint  remembrance  of  that  mate- 
rial and  striking  circumstance  of  Morrison  offering 
to  join  him  to  retake  the  ship— that  in  answer  to 
his  (Muspratt's)  question  respecting  Captain  Bligh's 
words,  "  My  lads,  I'll  do  you  justice,"  he  considered 
them  applied  to  the  people  in  the  boat,  and  not  to 
those  in  the  ship — to  the  same  question  put  by  the 
Court,  he  said  they  applied  to  persons  remaining  in 
the  ship.  And  he  notices  some  other  instances 
which  he  thinks  most  materially  affect  Mr.  Hay- 
ward's  credit ;  and  says,  that  if  he  had  been  under 
arms  when  Hayward  swore  he  was,  he  humbly  sub- 
mits Mr.  Hallet  must  have  seen  him.  And  he  con- 
cludes wath  asserting  (what  indeed  was  a  very  gen- 
eral opinion),  "  that  the  great  misfortune  attending 
this  unhappy  business  is,  that  no  one  ever  attempted 


THE    COURT-MARTIAL.  213 

to  rescue  the  ship ;  that  it  might  have  been  done, 
Thompson  being  the  only  sentinel  over  the  arm 
chest." 

Michael  Byrne's  Defence 

was  very  short.  He  says,  "  It  has  pleased  the  Al- 
mighty, among-  the  events  of  his  unsearchable  provi- 
dence, nearly  to  deprive  me  of  sight,  which  often 
puts  it  out  of  my  power  to  carry  the  intentions  of 
my  mind  into  execution. 

"  I  make  no  doubt  but  it  appears  to  this  honour- 
able Court,  that  on  the  28th  of  April,  1789,  my  in- 
tention WHS  to  quit  liis  majesty's  ship  Bounty  with 
the  ofiicers  and  men  who  went  away,  and  that  the 
sorrow  I  expressed  at  being  detained  was  real  and 
unfeigned. 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  I  may  be  able  to  repeat 
the  exact  words  that  were  spoken  on  the  occasion, 
but  some  said,  *  We  must  not  part  with  our  fiddler;' 
and  Charles  Churchill  threatened  to  send  me  to  the 
shades  if  I  attempted  to  quit  the  cutter,  into  which 
1  had  gone  for  the  purpose  of  attending  Lieutenant 
Bligh  :"  and,  without  further  trespassing  on  the  time 
of  the  court,  he  submits  his  case  to  its  judgment  and 
mercy. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  notice  any  parts  of  the  de- 
fence made  by  Coleman,  Norman,  and  M'Intosh,  as 
it  is  clear  from  the  whole  evidence  and  from  Bligh's 
certificates,  that  those  men  were  anxious  to  go  in 
the  boat,  but  were  kept  in  the  ship  by  force. 

It  is  equally  clear  that  Ellison, '  Millward,  and 
Burkitt  were  concerned  in  every  stage  of  the  mu- 
tiny, and  had  little  to  offer  in  their  defence  in  excul- 
pation of  the  crime  of  which  they  were  accused. 

On  the  sixth  day,  namely,  on  the  18th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1792,  the  court  met ;  the  prisoners  were  brought 
in,  audience  admitted,  when,  the  president  having 
asked  the  prisoners  if  they  or  any  of  them  had  any 
R 


214  THE  king's  warrant. 

tiling  more  to  offer  in  their  defence,  the  conrt  Avag 
cleared,  and  agreed, — 

"  That  the  charges  had  been  proved  against  the 
said  Peter  Heywood,  James  Morrison,  Thomas  Elli- 
son, Thomas  Bnrkitt,  John  Milhvard,  and  William 
Muspratt;  and  did  adjudge  them  and  each  of  them 
to  suffer  death,  by  being  hanged  by  the  neck  on 
board  such  of  his  majesty's  ship  or  ships  of  war,  and 
at  such  time  or  times,  and  at  such  place  or  places, 
as  the  commissioners  for  executing  the  office  of 
Lord  High  Admiral  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
&c.,  or  any  three  of  them  for  the  time  being  should, 
in  writing  under  their  hands,  direct ;  but  the  court, 
in  consideration  of  various  circumstances,  did  hum- 
bly and  most  earnestly  recommend  the  said  Peter 
Heywood  and  James  Morrison  to  his  majesty's 
mercy ;  and  the  court  further  agreed,  that  the  charges 
had  not  been  proved  against  the  said  Charles  Nor- 
man, Joseph  Coleman,  Thomas  M'Intosh,  and  Mi- 
chael Byrne,  and  did  adjudge  them  and  each  of  them 
to  be  acquitted." 

The  court  was  then  opened  and  audience  admitted 
and  sentence  passed  accordingly. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

THE   king's   warrant. 

"  Well,  believe  this— 
No  ceremony  that  to  great  ones  'longs, 
Not  the  king's  crown,  nor  the  deputed  sword, 
The  marshal's  truncheon,  nor  the  judge's  robe, 
Become  them  with  one  half  so  good  a  grace 
As  mercy  does." 

It  was  a  very  common  feeling  that  Heywood  ani 
Morrison,  the  former  in  particular,  had  been  hardij 
dealt  with  by  the  court  in  passing  upon  them  a  sen 


THE    KINGS    WARRANT.  215 

tence  of  death,  tempered  as  it  was  with  the  recom- 
mendation to  the  king's  mercy.  It  should,  however, 
have  been  recollected,  that  the  court  had  no  dis- 
cretional power  to  pass  any  other  sentence  but  that, 
Dr  a  full  acquittal.  But  earnestly,  no  doubt,  as  the 
.•ourt  was  disposed  towards  the  latter  alternative,  it 
.•(Hild  not  consistently  with  the  rules  and  feelings  of 
[he  service  be  adopted.  It  is  not  enough  in  cases  of 
mutiny  (and  this  case  was  aggravated  by  the  piratical 
seizure  of  a  king's  ship)  that  the  officers  and  men 
in  his  majesty's  naval  service  should  take  no  active 
part ;  to  be  neutral  or  passive  is  considered  as  tan- 
tamount to  aiding  and  abetting.  Besides,  in  the 
present  case,  the  remaining  in  the  ship  along  with 
the  mutineers,  without  having  recourse  to  such  means 
as  offered  of  leaving  her,  presumes  a  voluntary  ad- 
hesion to  the  criminal  party.  The  only  fault  of 
Heywood,  and  a  pardonable  one  on  account  of  his 
youth  and  inexperience,  was  his  not  asking  Chris- 
tian to  be  allowed  to  go  with  his  captain, — his  not 
tiying  to  go  in  time.  M'Intosh,  Norman,  Byrne,  and 
Coleman  were  acquitted  because  they  expressed  a 
strong  desire  to  go,  but  Avere  forced  to  remain. 
This  was  not  only  clearly  proved,  but  they  M-ere  in 
possession  of  written  testimonies  from  Bligh  to  that 
effect;  and  so  would  Heywood  have  had,  but  for 
some  prejudice  Bligh  had  taken  against  him  in  the 
course  of  the  boat-voyage  home;  for  it  will  be  shown 
that  he  knew  he  was  confined  to  his  berth  below. 

In  favour  of  three  of  the  four  men  condemned 
without  a  recommendation  there  were  unhappily  no 
palliating  circumstances.  Millward,  Burkitt,  and 
EUison  were  under  arms  from  first  to  last;  and  Elli- 
son not  only  left  the  helm  to  take  up  arms,  but, 
rushing  aft  towards  Bligh,  called  out,  "  D — n  him, 
I'll  be  sentry  over  him."  The  fourth  man,  Muspratt, 
was  condemned  on  the  evidence  of  Lieutenant  Hay- 
ward,  which,  however,  appears  to  have  been  duly 
appreciated  by  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Ad* 


216  THE    KING  S    WARRANT. 

miralty,  and  in  consequence  of  which  the  pooriman 
escaped  an  ignominious  deatn. 

The  family  of  young  Hey  wood  in  the  Isle  of  Man 
had  been  buoyed  up  from  various  quarters  with  the 
ahiiost  certainty  of  his  full  acquittal.  From  the  12th 
September,  when  the  court-martial  first  sat,  till  the 
24th  of  that  month,  they  were  prevented  by  the 
strong  and  contrary  winds  which  cut  off  all  com- 
munication with  England  from  receiving  any  tidings 
whatever.  But  while  Mrs.  Heywood  and  her  daugh- 
ters were  fondly  flattering  themselves  with  every 
thing  being  most  happily  concluded,  one  evening,  as 
they  were  indulging  these  pleasing  hopes,  a  little 
boy,  the  son  of  one  of  their  particular  friends,  ran 
into  the  room,  and  told  them  in  the  most  abrupt 
manner  that  the  trial  was  over  and  all  the  prisoners 
condemned,  but  that  Peter  Heywood  was  recom- 
mended to  mercy;  he  added,  that  a  man  whose 
name  he  mentioned  had  told  him  this.  The  man 
was  sent  for,  questioned,  and  repUed  he  had  seen  it 
in  a  newspaper  at  Liverpool,  from  which  place  he 
was  just  arrived  in  a  small  fishing-boat,  but  had  for- 
gotten to  bring  the  paper  with  him.  In  this  state 
of  doubtful  uncertainty  this  wretched  family  re- 
mained another  whole  week,  harassed  by  the  most 
cruel  agony  of  mind,  which  no  language  can  express.* 

*  It  was  in  this  state  of  mind,  while  in  momentary  expectation  of 
receiving  an  account  of  the  termination  of  the  court-martial,  that  Hw« 
wood's  charming  sister  Nessy  wrote  the  following  lines  : — 

ANXIETY. 

Doubting,  dreading,  fretful  guest, 
Quit,  oh  !  quit  this  mortal  breast 
Why  wilt  thou  my  peace  invade. 
And  each  brighter  prospect  shade? 
Pain  me  not  with  needless  Fear, 
But  let  Hope  my  bosom  cheer; 
While  I  court  her  gentle  charms, 
Woo  the  flatterer  to  my  arms ; 
While  each  moment  she  beguiles 
W";t^.  her  sweet  eniiv'niiig  smiles. 
While  she  softly  whispers  itv» 
'■*  Lycidas  again"  is  fre*-'' 


THE  king's  warrant.  217 

The  affectionate  Nessy  determined  at  once  to  pro- 
ceed to  Liverpool,  and  so  on  to  London.  She  urges 
her  brother  James  at  Liverpool  to  hasten  to  Ports- 
mouth :  "  Don't  wait  for  me,  I  can  go  alone ;  fear, 
and  even  despair,  will  support  me  through  the  jour- 
ney :  think  only  of  our  poor  unfortunate  and  adored 
boy  ;  bestow  not  one  thought  on  me."  And  she  adds, 
"  yet,  if  I  could  listen  to  reason  (which  is  indeed  dif- 
ficult), it  is  not  likely  that  any  thing  serious  has 
taken  place,  or  will  do  so,  as  we  should  then  cer- 
tainly have  had  an  express."  She  had  a  tempestuous 
passage  of  forty-nine  hours,  and  to  save  two  hours 
got  into  an  open  fishing-boat  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Mersey,  the  sea  running  high  and  washing  over  her 
every  moment;  but  she  observes,  "  let  me  but  be 
blessed  with  the  cheering  influence  oihope,  and  I  have 
spirit  to  undertake  any  thing."  From  Liverpool  she 
set  off  the  same  night  in  the  mail  for  London  ;  and 
arrived  at  Mr.  Graham's  on  the  5th  October,  who 
received  her  with  the  greatest  kindness,  and  desired 
her  to  make  his  house  her  home. 

The  suspeiise  into  which  the  afflicted  family  in  the 
Isle  of  Man  had  been  thrown  by  the  delay  of  the 
packet,  was  painfully  relieved  on  its  arrival  in  the 
night  of  the  29th  September,  by  the  following  letter 
from  Mr.  Graham  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Scott,  which  the 
latter  carried  to  Mrs.  Heywood's  family  the  follow- 
ing  morning. 

**  Portsmouth^  Tuesday^  IQth  September. 
«  Sir, 
"Although  a   stranger,  I  make  no  apology  in 
writing  to  you.     1  have   attended  and  given  my 

Wliile  I  ^aze  on  Pleasure's  gleam, 
Say  not  thou  "  'Tis  all  a  dream." 
IleiiL-e — nor  darken  Joy's  soft  bloom' 
With  thy  pale  and  sickly  gloom  : 
Naught  have  I  to  do  with  thee — 
Hence — begone — Anxiety. 
Isle  of  Man,  September  lOth.  Nkssy  Hktwood 


218  THE  king's  warrant. 

assistance  at  Mr.  Hey  wood's  trial,  which  was  fihished 
and  the  sentence  passed  about  half  an  hour  ago. 
Before  I  tell  you  what  that  sentence  is,  1  must  in- 
form you  that  his  life  is  safe,  notwithstanding  it  is 
at  present  at  the  mercy  of  the  king,  to  wliich  he  is 
iu  the  strongest  terms  recommended  by  the  court. 
That  any  unnecessary  fears  may  not  be  productive 
of  misery  to  the  family,  I  must  add,  that  the  king's 
attorney-general  (who  with  Judge  Ashurst  attended 
the  trial)  desired  me  to  make  myself  perfectly  easy, 
for  that  my  friend  was  as  safe  as  if  he  had  not  been 
condemned.  I  would  have  avoided  making  use  of 
this  dreadful  word,  but  it  must  have  come  to  youi 
knowledge,  and  perhaps  unaccompanied  by  many 
others  of  a  pleasing  kind.  To  prevent  its  being  im- 
properly communicated  to  Mrs.  or  the  Misses  Hey 
wood,  whose  distresses  first  engaged  me  in  the 
business,  and  could  not  fail  to  calf  forth  my  best  ex- 
ertions upon  the  occasion,  I  send  you  this  by  ex- 
press. The  mode  of  communication  I  must  leave 
to  your  discretion;  and  shall  only  add,  that  although 
from  a  combination  of  circumstances,  ill-nature,  and 
mistaken  friendship,  the  sentence  is  in  itself  terrible ; 
yet  it  is  incumbent  on  me  to  assure  you,  tliat  from 
the  same  combination  of  circumstances  everybody 
who  attended  the  trial  is  perfectly  satisfied  in  his 
own  mind  that  he  was  hardly  guilty  in  appearance,  in 
intention  he  was  perfectly  innocent.  I  shall  of  course 
write  to  Commodore  Pasley,  whose  mind  from  my 
letter  to  him  of  yesterday  must  be  dreadfully  agi- 
tated, and  take  his  advice  about  what  is  to  be  done 
when  Mr.  Heywood  is  released.  I  shall  stay  here 
till  then,  and  my  intention  is  afterward  to  take  him 
to  my  house  in' town,  where,  I  think,  he  had  better 
stay  till  one  of  the  family  calls  for  him :  for  he  will 
require  a  great  deal  of  tender  management  after  aU 
his  sufferings ;  and  it  would  perhaps  be  a  necessary 
preparation  for  seeing  his  mother,  that  one  or  both 
his  sisters  should  be  previously  prepared  to  support 
her  on  so  trving  an  occasion  " 


THE    KINGS    WARRANT.  219 

On  the  following  day  Mr.  Graham  agam  writes  to 
Dr.  Scott,  and  among  other  things  observes,  "  It  will 
be  a  great  satisfaction  to  his  family  to  learn,  thai 
the  declarations  of  some  of  the  other  prisoners, 
since  the  trial,  put  it  past  all  doubt  that  the  evidence 
upon  which  he  was  convicted  must  have  been  (to 
say  nothing  worse  of  it)  an  unfortunate  belief,  on 
the  part  of  the  witness,  of  circumstances  which 
either  never  had  existence,  or  were  applicable  to 
one  of  the  other  gentlemen  who  remained  in  the 
ship,  and  not  to  Mr.  Hey  wood."* 

On  the  SOth  September  Mr.  Heywood  addresses 
the  first  letter  he  wrote  after  his  conviction  to  Dr 
Scott. 

"  Honoured  and  dear  Srr, 
"  On  Wednesday  the  12th  instant  the  awful  trial 
commenced,  and  on  that  day^ivhen  in  court.,  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  receiving  your  most  kind  and  parental 
letter;!  in  answer  to  which  1  now  communicate  to 
you  the  melancholy  issue  of  it,  which,  as  I  desired 
my  friend  Mr.  Graham  to  inform  you  of  immediately, 
will  be  no  dreadful  news  to  you.  The  morning 
lowers,  and  all  my  hope  of  worldly  joy  is  fled.  On 
Tuesday  morning  the  18th  the  dreadful  sentence  of 
death  was  pronounced  upon  me,  to  which  (being  the 
just  decree  of  that  Divine  Providence  who  first  gave 
me  breath)  I  bow  my  devoted  head  with  that  forti- 
tude, cheerfulness,  and  resignation  which  is  the 
duty  of  every  member  of  the  church  of  our  blessed 
Saviour  and  Redeemer  Christ  Jesus.  To  Him  alone 
I  now  look  up  for  succour,  in  full  hope  that  perhaps 
a  few  days  more  will  open  to  the  view  of  my 
astonished  and  fearful  soul  his  kingdom  of  eternal 
and  incomprehensible  bliss,  prepared  only  for  the 
righteous  of  heart. 

*  This  is  supposed  to  allude  to  the  evidence  given  by  Hallet 

t  This  refers  to  a  v.ery  kind  and  encouraging  letter  written  to  him  by 

the  Rev.  Dr.  Scott,  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  who  knew  him  from  a  boy,  and 

tud  the  highest  opinion  of  1  is  ciiaracier. 


220  THE    KINGS    WARRANT. 

"  I  have  not;  been  found  gnilty  of  the  slightest  act 
connected  with  that  detestable  criine  of  mutinj^^but 
am  doomed  to  die  for  not  being-  active  in  my  endea- 
vours to  suppress  it.  Could  the  witnesses  who  ap- 
peared on  the  court-martial  be  themselves  tried, /Ae?; 
would  also  suffer  for  the  very  same  and  only  crime 
of  which  I  have  been  found  gnrhy.  But  I  ani  to  be 
the  victim.  Alas!  my  youthfuf  inexperience,  and 
not  depravity  of  will,  is  the  sole  cause  to  which  I  can 
attribute  my  misfortunes.  But,  so  far  from  repining 
at  my  fate,  I  receive  it  with  a  dreadful  kind  of  joy, 
composure,  and  serenity  of  mind  ;  well  assured  that  it 
has  pleased  God  to  point  me  out  as  a  subject  through 
which  some  greatly  useful  (though  at  present  un- 
searchable) intention  of  the  divine  attributes  maybe 
carried  into  execution  for  the  future  benefit  of  my 
country.  Then  why  should  I  repine  at  being  made 
a  sacrifice  for  the  good,  perhaps,  of  thousands  of  my 
fellow-creatures  ;  forbid  it,  Heaven  !  Why  should 
I  be  sorry  to  leave  a  world  in  which  I  have  met  with 
nothing  but  misfortunes  and  all  their  concomitant 
evils  ?  I  shall,  on  the  contrary,  endeavour  to  divest 
myself  of  all  wishes  for  the  futile  and  sublunary  en- 
joyments of  it,  and  prepare  my  soul  for  its  reception 
into  the  bosom  of  its  Redeemer.  For  though  the 
very  strong  recommendation  I  have  had  to  his  ma- 
jesty's mercy  by  all  the  members  of  the  court  may 
meet  with  his  approbation,  yet  that  is  but  the  bal- 
ance of  a  straw,  a  mere  uncertainty,  upon  Avhich  no 
hope  can  be  built ;  the  other  is  a  certainty  that  must 
one  day  happen  to  every  mortal,  and  therefore  the 
salvation  of  my  soul  requires  my  most  prompt  and 
powerful  exertions  during  the  short  time  I  may  have 
to  remain  on  earth. 

"  As  this  is  too  tender  a  subject  for  me  to  inform 
my  unhappy  and  distressed  mother  and  sisters  of,  I 
trust,  dear  sir,  you  will  either  show  them  this  letter, 
or  make  known  to  them  the  truly  dreadful  intelh- 
gence  in  such  a  manner  as  (assisted  by  your  whole- 


THE    KING'S    WARRANT.  221 

some  and  paternal  advice)  may  enable  them  to  bear 
it  with  Christian  fortitude.  The  only  worldly  feel- 
ings I  am  now  possessed  of  are  for  their  happiness 
and  welfare ;  but  even  these,  in  my  present  situa- 
tion, I  must  endeavour,  with  God's  assistance,  to 
eradicate  from  my  heart,  how  hard  soever  the  task. 
I  must  strive  against  cherishing  any  temporal  affec- 
tions. But,  my  dear  sir,  endeavour  to  mitigate  my 
distressed  mother's  sorrow.  Give  my  everlasting 
duty  to  her,  and  unabated  love  to  my  disconsolate 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  all  my  other  relations.  En- 
courage them,  by  my  example',  to  bear  up  with  for- 
titude and  resignation  to  the  Divine  will,  under  their 
load  of  misfortunes,  almost  too  great  for  female  na- 
ture to  support,  and  teach  them  to  be  fully  persuaded 
that  all  hopes  of  happiness  on  earth  are  vain.  On 
my  own  account  I  still  enjoy  the  most  easy  serenity 
of  mind ;  and  am,  dear  sir,  for  ever,  your  greatly  in- 
debted, and  most  dutiful,  but  ill-fated, 

"  Peter  Heywood." 

His  next  letter  is  to  his  dearly  beloved  Nessy. 

"  Had  I  not  a  strong  idea  that,  ere  this  mournful 
epistle  from  your  ill-fated  brother  can  reach  the 
trembling  hand  of  my  ever  dear  and  much-afflicted 
Nessy,  she  must  have  been  informed  of  the  final 
issue  of  my  trial  on  Wednesday  morning,  by  my 
honoured  friend  Dr.  Scott,  I  would  not  now  add 
trouble  to  the  afflicted  by  a  confirmation  of  it. 
Though  I  have  indeed  fallen  an  early  victim  to  tlie 
rigid  rules  of  the  service,  and  though  the  jaws  of 
death  are  once  more  opened  upon  me,  yet  do  I  not 
now  nor  ever  will  bow  to  the  tyranny  of  base-born 
fear.  Conscious  of  having  done  my  duty  to  God  and 
man,  I  feel  not  one  moment's  anxiety  on  my  own 
account,  but  cherish  a  full  and  sanguine  hope  that 
perhaps  a  few  days  more  will  free  me  from  the  load 
of  misfortune  which  has  ever  been  m^^portion  in 


223  THE    KING'S    WARRANT. 

this  transient  period  of  existence ;  and  that  T  shall 
find  an  everlasting  asylum  in  those  blessed  regions 
of  eternal  bliss  where  the  galling  yoke  of  tyranny 
and  oppression  is  felt  no  more. 

"If  earthly  majesty,  to  whose  mercy  I  have  been 
recommended  by  the  court,  should  refuse  to  put 
forth  its  lenient  hand  and  rescue  me  from  what  is 
fancifully  called  an  ignominious  death,  there  is  a 
heavenly  King  and  Redeemer  ready  to  receive  the 
righteous  penitent,  on  whose  gracious  mercy  alone  V 
as  we  all  should,  depend,  with  that  pious  resignation 
which  is  the  duty  of  every  Christiai:;  well  convinced, 
that  without  his  express  permission  not  even  a  hair 
of  our  head  can  fall  to  the  ground. 

"  Oh  !  my  sister,  my  heart  yearns  when  I  picture 
to  myself  the  affliction,  indescribable  affliction,  v/hich 
this  melancholy  intelligence  must  have  caused  in 
the  mind  of  my  much  honoured  mother.  But  let  it 
be  your  peculiar  endeavour  to  watch  over  her  grief 
and  mitigate  her  pain.  I  hope,  indeed,  this  little  ad- 
vice from  me  will  be  unnecessary;  fori  know  the 
holy  precepts  of  that  inspired  religion  which,  thank 
Heaven  !  have  been  implanted  in  the  bosoms  of  us 
all,  will  point  out  to  you,  and  all  my  dear  relatives, 
that  fortitude  and  resignation  which  are  required  of 
us  in  the  conflicts  of  human  nature,  and  prevent  you 
from  arraigning  the  wisdom  of  that  omniscient 
Providence  of  which  we  ought  all  to  have  the  fullest 
sense. 

"  I  have  had  all  my  dear  Nessy's  letters ;  the  one 
of  the  17th  this  morning :  but  alas !  what  do  they 
now  avail  1  Their  contents  only  serve  to  prove  the 
instability  of  all  human  hopes  and  expectations; 
but,  my  dear  sister,  I  begin  to  feel  the  pangs  which 
you  must  suifer  from  the  perusal  of  this  melancholy 
paper,  and  will  therefore  desist,  for  1  know  it  is  more 
than  your  nature  can  support.  The  contrast  between 
last  week's  correspondence  and  this  is  great  indeed ; 
but  why  ?  ^  had  only  hope  then ;  and  have  we  not 


THE  king's  warrant.  223 

the  same  now  1  certainly.  Endeavour  then,  my  love, 
lo  cherish  that  hope,  and  with  faith  rely  upon  the 
mercy  of  that  God  who  does  as  to  him  seems  best 
and  most  conducive  to  the  general  good  of  his  mise- 
rable creatures. 

"  Bear  it  then  with  Christian  patience,  and  instil 
ihto  the  mind  of  my  dear  and  now  sorrowful  sis- 
ters, by  your  advice,  the  same  disposition;  and,  for 
Heaven's  sake,  let  not  despair  touch  the  soul  of  my 
dear  mother — for  then  all  would  be  over.  Let 
James  also  employ  all  his  efforts  to  cheer  her  spirits 
under  her  weight  of  wo.  I  will  write  no  more 
Adieu,  my  dearest  love !  Write  but  little  to  me, 
and  pray  for  your  ever  affectionate  but  ill-fated 
brother. 

"  P.S.  I  am  in  perfect  spirits  ;  therefore  let  not 
your  sympathizing  feelings  for  my  sufferings  hurt 
your  own  precious  health,  which  is  dearer  to  me 
than  hfe  itself.     Adieu !" 

In  a  letter  to  his  mother  he  assures  her  of  tlie 
perfect  tranquillity  of  his  mind  ;  advises  her  not  to 
entertain  too  sanguine  hopes,  but  at  the  same  time 
not  to  be  uneasy  ;  and  he  adds,  "A  minister  of  the 
gospel,  who  now  attends  me,  has  advised  me  not  to 
say  too  much  to  any  of  my  dear  relations,  but  now 
and  then  1  cannot  avoid  it."  To  his  dearest  Nessy, 
who  encourages  him  to  take  hope,  he  says,  "Alas  ! 
it  is  but  a  broken  stick  which  I  have  leaned  on,  and 
it  has  pierced  my  soul  in  such  a  manner  that  I  will 
never  more  trust  to  it,  but  wait  with  a  contented 
mind  and  patience  for  the  final  accomphshment  of 

the  Divine  will Mrs.  Hope  is  a  faithless  and 

ungrateful  acquaintance,  wfth  whom  I  have  now 
broken  off  all  connexions,  and  in  her  stead  have  en- 
deavoured to  cultivate  a  more  sure  friendship  with 
Resignation,  in  full  trust  of  tinding  her  more  con- 
stan' ."  He  desires  her  to  write  through  her  brother 
James,  who  is  with  him  ;  and  says  that  the  reason 


224  THE    KING'S    WARRANT. 

for  his  having  desired  her  not  to  write  much  was 
lest  she  might  hurt  herself  by  it ;  and  he  adds,  "  from 
an  idea  that  your  exalted  sentiments  upon  so  tender 
a  subject  ought  not  to  be  known  by  an  inquiring 
world;"  but,  he  continues,  "do  just  as  you  like 
best:  I  am  conscious  that  your  good  sense  will 
prompt  you  to  nothing  inconsistent  with  our  present 
circumstances."  To  this  she  replies,  in  the  true 
spirit  of  a  character  like  her  own,  "  Yes !  my  ever 
tiearest  brother,  1  will  write  to  you ;  and  I  know  I 
need  not  add,  that  in  that  employment  (while  thus 
deprived  of  your  loved  society)  consists  my  only 
happiness.  But  why  not  express  my  sentiments  to 
yourself?  I  have  nothing  to  say  which  I  should 
blush  to  have  known  to  all  the  world ; — nothing  to 
express  in  my  letters  to  you  but  love  and  affection  ; 
and  shall  I  blush  for  this  ?  Or  can  I  have  a  wish 
to  conceal  sentiments  of  such  a  nature  for  an  object 
who  I  am  so  certain  merits  all  my  regard,  and  in 
whom  the  admiration  of  surrounding  friends  con- 
vinces me  I  am  not  mistaken.  No,  surely  ;  'tis  my 
pride,  my  chiefest  glory,  to  love  you ;  and  when  you 
think  me  worthy  of  commendation,  that  praise,  and 
that  only,  can  make  me  vain.  I  shall  not  therefore 
write  to  you,  my  dearest  brother,  in  a  private  man- 
lier, for  it  is  unnecessary,  and  I  abhor  all  deceit ;  in 
which  I  know  you  agree  with  me." 

To  her  sister  Mary,  in  the  Isle  of  Man,  she  says, 
"  With  respect  to  that  little  wretch  Hailet,  his  in- 
trepidity in  court  was  astonishing;  and  after  every 
evidence  had  spoken  highly  in  Peter's  favour,  and 
given  testimony  of  his  innocence,  so  strong  that  not 
a  doubt  was  entertained  of  his  acquittal,  he  declared, 
unasked,  that  while  Bhgh  was  upon  deck, he  (Hailet) 
saw  him  look  at  and  speak  to  Peter.  What  he  said 
to  him  Hailet  could  not  hear  (being  at  the  distance 
of  twenty  feet  from  Bligh,  and  Peter  was  twenty 
feet  farther  off,  consequently  a  distance  of  forty  feet 
separated  Mr.  Bligh  and  my  brother) ;  but  he  added 


THE    KING'S    WARRANT.  225 

that  Peter,  on  hearing  what  Mr.  Bligh  said  to  him, 
laughcdi  and  turned  contemptuously  away.  No  other 
witness  saw  Peter  laugh  but  Hallet;  on  the  con- 
trary, all  agreed  he  wore  a  countenance  on  that  day 
remarkably  sorrowful ;  yet  the  effect  of  this  cruel 
evidence  was  wonderful  upon  the  minds  of  the  court, 
and  they  concluded  by  pronouncing  the  dreadful  sen- 
tence, though  at  the  same  time  accompanied  by  the 
strongest  recommendation  to  mercy.  Assure  your- 
selves (I  have  it  from  Mr.  Graham's  own  mouth), 
that  Peter's  honour  is,  and  will  be,  as  secure  as  his 
own  ;  that  every  professional  man,  as  well  as  every 
man  of  sense,  of  whatever  denomination,  does  and 
will  esteem  him  highly;  that  my  dear  uncle  Pasley 
(who  was  in  town  the  night  before  my  arrival)  is  de- 
lighted with  liis  worth ;  and  that,  in  short,  we  shall 
at  length  be  happy." 

From  this  time  a  daily  correspondence  passed  be- 
tween Peter  Heywood  and  his  sister  Nessy,  the  lat- 
ter indulging  hope,  even  to  a  certainty,  that  she  will 
not  be  deceived, — the  other  preaching  up  patience 
and  resignation,  with  a  full  reliance  on  his  innocence 
and  integrity.  "  Cheer  up  then,"  says  he,  "  my  dear 
Nessy ;  cherish  your  hope^  and  I  will  exercise  my 
patience.'^''  Indeed  so  perfectly  calm  "was  this  young 
man  under  his  dreadful  calamity,  that  in  a  very  few 
days  after  condemnation  his  brother  says,  "  While  I 
write  this,  Peter  is  sitting  by  me  making  an  Ota- 
he  itan  vocabulary,  and  so  hnppy  and  intent  upon  it, 
that  I  have  scarcely  an  opportunity  of  saying  a  word 
to  him  ;  he  is  in  excellent  spirits,  and  I  am  convinced 
they  are  better  and  better  every  day." 

This  vocabidary  is  a  very  extraordinary  perform- 
ance ;  it  consists  of  one  hundred  full-written  folio 
pages ;  the  words  alphabetically  arranged,  and  all 
the  syllables  accented.  It  appears  from  a  passage 
in  the  "  Voyage  of  the  Duff,"  that  a  copy  of  this  vo- 
cabulary was  of  great  use  to  the  missionaries  who 
were  first  sent  to  Otaheite  in  this  ship. 


226  THE  king's  warrant. 

During  the  delay  which  took  place  in  carrying  the 
sentence  into  execution,  Commodore  Pasley,  .Mr. 
Graham,  and  others  were  indefatigable  in  their  in- 
quiries and  exertions  to  ascertain  what  progress  had 
been  made  in  bringing  to  a  happy  issue  the  recon»- 
mendation  to  the  fountain  of  mercy  :  not  less  so 
was  Nessy  Hey  wood  ;  from  Mr.  Graham  she  learned 
what  this  excellent  man  considered  to  be  the  princi- 
pal parts  of  the  evidence  that  led  to  the  conviction 
of  her  unhappy  brother,  which,  having  understood 
to  be  the  following,  she  transmitted  to  her  brother: — 

First.  That  he  assisted  in  hoisting  out  the  launch. 

Second.  That  he  was  seen  by  the  carpenter 
resting  his  hand  upon  a  cutlass. 

Third.  That  on  being  called  to  by  Lieutenant 
Bligh,  he  laughed. 

Fourth.  That  he  remained  m  the  Bounty,  instead 
of  accompanying  Bliirh  in  the  launch. 

On  these  points  of  the  evidence  Mr.  Hey  wood 
made  the  following  comments,  which  he  sent  from 
Portsmouth  to  his  sister  in  town. 

'  Peter  Hey  wood's  Remarks  upon  material  points  of 

the  evidence  which  was  given  at  his  trial,  on  board 

the  Duke,  in  Portsmouth  Harbour. 

"  First.  Tha'.  I  assisted  in  hoisting  out  the  launch. 
— This  boat  was  asked  for  by  the  captain  and  his 
officers,  and  whoever  assisted  in  hoisting  her  out 
were  their  friends;  for  if  the  captain  had  been  sent 
away  in  the  cutter  (which  was  Christian's  first  in- 
tention), he  could  not  have  taken  with  him  more 
than  nine  or  ten  men,  whereas  the  launch  carried 
nineteen.  The  boatswain,  the  master,  the  gunner, 
and  the  carpenter  say,  in  their  evidence,  that  they  con- 
sidered me  as  helping  the  captain  on  this  occasion. 

"  Second.  That  I  was  seen  by  the  carpenter  resting 
my  hand  on  a  cutlass. — I  was  seen  in  this  position  by 
no  other  person  than  the  carpenter — no  other  p'^'j^son 
therefore  could  be  intimidated  by  my  appearance. 


THE  king's  warrant.  227 

Was  the  carpenter  intimidated  by  it  ? — No  ;  so  far 
from  beins^  afraid  of  me,  he  did  not  even  look  upon 
me  in  the  light  of  a  person  armed,  but  ponited  out  to 
nie  the  danger  there  was  of  my  being  thought  so, 
and  I  immediately  took  away  my  hand  from  the 
cutlass,  upon  which  I  had  very  imiocently  put  it 
when  I  was  in  a  state  of  stupor.  The  Court  was 
particularly  pointed  in  its  inquiries  into  this  circum- 
stance ;  and  the  carpenter  was  pressed  to  declare, 
on  the  oath  he  had  taken,  and  after  maturely  con- 
sidering the  matter,  whether  he  did  at  the  time  he 
saw  me  so  situated,  or  had  since  been  inclined  to 
believe,  that,  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
case,  I  could  be  considered  as  an  armed  man ;  to 
which  he  unequivocally  answered.  No :  and  he  gave 
some  good  reasons  (which  will  be  found  in  his 
evidence)  for  thinking  that  I  had  not  a  wish  to  be 
armed  during  the  mutiny.  The  master,  the  boat- 
swain, the  gunner,  Mr.  Hayward,  Mr.  Hallet,  and 
John  Smith  (who,  with  th(;  carpenter,  were  all  the 
witnesses  belonging  to  the  Bounty)  say,  in  their 
evidence,  that  they  did  not,  any  of  them,  see  me 
armed;  and  the  boatswain  and  the  carpenter  further 
say,  in  the  most  pointed  terms,  that  they  considered 
me  to  be  one  of  the  captain's  party,  and  by  no  means 
as  belonging  to  the  mutineers  :  and  the  master,  the 
boatswain,  the  carpenter,  the  gunner,  all  declare, 
that  from  what  they  observed  on  my  conduct  during 
the  mutiny,  and  from  a  recollection  of  my  behaviour 
previous  thereto,  they  were  convinced  I  would  have 
afforded  them  all  the  assistance  in  my  power,  if  an 
opportunity  had  offered  to  retake  the  ship. 

Third.  That  upon  being  called  to  by  the  captain^ 
I  laughed. — If  this  was  believed  by  the  Court,  it 
must  have  had,  I  am  afraid,  a  very  great  effect  upon 
its  judgment ;  for,  if  viewed  in  too  serious  a  light, 
it  would  seem  to  bring  together  and  combine  a 
number  of  tiifling  circumstances,  which  by  them- 
selves could  only  be  treated  merely  as  matters  of 


CSS  THE  king's  warrant. 

suspicion.  It  was  no  doubt,  therefore,  received  with 
caution,  and  considered  with  the  utmost  candour. 
The  countenance,  I  grant,  on  some  other  occasions, 
may  warrant  an  opinion  of  good  or  evil  existing  in 
the  mind;  but  on  the  momentous  events  of  life  and 
death,  it  is  surdy  by  much  too  indefinite  and  hazard- 
ous even  to  listen  to  for  a  moment.  The  different 
ways  of  expressing  our  various  passions  are,  with 
many,  as  variable  as  the  features  they  wear.  Tears 
have  often  been,  nay,  generally  are,  the  relief  of  ex- 
cessive joy ;  while  misery  and  dejection  have,  many 
a  time,  disguised  themselves  in  a  smile ;  and  convul- 
sive laughs  have  betrayed  the  anguish  of  an  almost 
broken  heart.  To  judge,  therefore,  the  principles 
of  the  heart  by  the  barometer  of  the  face  is  as 
erroneous  as  it  would  be  absurd  and  unjust.  This 
matter  may  likewise  be  considered  in  another  point 
of  view.  Mr.  Hallet  says  1  laughed  in  consequence 
of  being  called  to  by 'the  captain,  who  was  abaft  the 
mizen-mast,  while  I  was  upon  the  platform  near  the 
fore-hatchway,  a  distance  of  more  than  thirt}''  feet : 
if  the  captain  intended  I  should  hear  him,  and  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  he  wished  it,  if  he  really 
called  to  me,  he  must  have  exerted  his  voice,  and 
very  considerably  too,  upon  such  an  occasion  and 
in  such  a  situation ;  and  yet  Mr.  Hallet  himself,  who, 
by  being  on  the  quarter-deck,  could  not  have  been 
half  the  distance  from  the  captain  that  I  was,  even 
he,  I  say,  could  not  hear  what  was  said  to  me:  how 
then,  in  the  name  of  God,  was  it  possible  that  1 
should  have  heard  the  captain  at  all,  situated,  as  1 
must  have  been,  in  the  midst  of  noisy  confusion  ? 
And  if  1  did  not  hear  him,  which  I  most  solemnly 
aver  to  be  the  truth,  even  granting  that  I  laughed 
(which,  however,  in  my  present  awful  situation,  I 
declare  I  believe  I  did  not),  it  could  not  have  been  at 
what  the  captain  said.  Upon  this  ground,  then,  J 
hope  I  shall  stand  acquitted  of  this  charge,  for  if 
the  crime  derives  its  guilt  from  the  knowledge  I  had 


THE  king's  warrant.  229 

of  the  captain's  speaking  to  me,  it  follows,  of 
course,  that  if  1  did  not  hear  him  speak,  there  could 
be  no  crime  in  my  laughing.  It  may,  however,  very 
fairly  be  asked,  why  Mr.  Hallet  did  not  make  known 
that  the  captain  was  calHng  to  me  I  His  duty  to 
the  captain,  if  not  his  friendship  for  me,  should  have 
prompted  him  to  it;  and  the  peculiarity  of  our 
Situation  required  this  act  of  kindness  at  his  hands.* 
I  'hall  only  observe  further  upon  this  head,  that  the 
boatswain,  the  carpenter,  and  Mr.  Hayward,  who 
saw  more  of  me  than  any  other  of  the  witnesses, 
did  say  in  their  evidence  that  I  had  rather  a  sor- 
rowful countenance  on  the  day  of  the  mutiny. 

"  Fourth.  That  J  remained  on  board  the  ship  instead 
of  going  in  the  boat  with  the  captain. — That  I  was  at 
first  alarmed  and  afraid  of  going  into  the  boat  I  will 
not  pretend  to  deny ;  but  that  afterward  I  wished 
to  accompany  the  captain,  and  should  have  done  it, 
if  I  had  not  been  prevented  bfTThompson,  who  con- 
fined me  below  by  the  order  of  Churchill,  is  clearly 
proved  by  the  evidence  of  several  of  the  witnesses. 
The  boatswain  says,  that  just  before  he  left  the  ship 
I  went  below,  and  in  passing  him  said  something 
about  a  bag — (it  was,  that  I  v^'ould  put  a  few  things 
into  a  bag  and  follow  him) ;  the  carpenter  says  he 
saw  me  go  below  at  this  time ;  and  both  those  wit- 

*  Captain  Bligh  states  in  his  journal,  that  none  cf  his  officers  were 
suffered  to  come  near  him  vvhiie  lield  a  prisoner  by  Christian  ;  and 
Ilalletwas,  no  doubt,  misialien,  but  he  liad  probably  said  it  in  the  boat, 
and  thought  it  right  to  be  consistent  on  the  trial. 

It  has  been  said  that  Hallet,  when  in  the  Penelope,  in  which  frigate  he 
died,  expressed  great  regret  at  the  evidence  he  had  given  at  the  court- 
martial,  and  Irequently  alluded  to  it,  admitting  that  he  might  have  been 
mistaken. — There  can  be  very  little  doubt  that  he  was  so.  But  the 
editor  has  ascertained  from  personal  inquiry  of  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished flag-officers  in  the  service,  who  was  then  first  lieutenant  of 
the  Penelope,  that  Hallet  frequently  expressed  to  him  his  deep  contrition 
for  having  given  in  evidence  what  on  subsequent  reflection  tie  was  con- 
vinced to  be  incorrect;  that  he  ascribed  it  to  the  state  of  confusion  in 
which  his  mind  was  when  under  exaininalion  before  the  court;  and 
that  he  had  since  satisfied  himself  that,  owing  to  the  general  alarm  and 
confusion  dtiring  tha  mutiny,  he  must  have  confounded  Hevwood  wijli 
some  other  person. 

s 


230  THE  king's  warrant. 

nesses  say,  that  tliey  heard  the  master-at-arms  call 
to  Thompson  "^o  keep  them  heloio.''  The  point, 
therefore,  will  be  to  prove  to  whom  this  order,  "  keep 
them  below,'"  would  apply.  The  boatswain  and  car- 
penter say,  they  have  no  doubt  of  its  meaning  me 
as  one  ;  and  that  it  must  have  been  so,  I  shall  have 
very  little  difficulty  in  showing,  by  the  following 
statement : — 

"  There  remained  onboard  the  ship  after  the  boat 
put  off  twenty-five  men.  Messrs.  Hayward  and 
Hallet  have  proved  that  the  following  were  undo 
arms  :— Christian,  Hillbrant,  Millward,  Burkitt,  Mus 
pratt,  Ellison,  Sumner,  Smith,  Young,  Skinner 
Churchill,  M'Koy,  Quintal,  Morrison,  Williams. 
Thompson,  Mills,' and  Brown,— in  all  eighteen.  The 
master  (and  upon  this  occasion  I  may  be  allowed  to 
quote  from  the  captain's  printed  narrative)  mentions 
Martin  as  one,  which  makes  the  number  of  armed 
men  nineteen,  none  dPwhom  we  may  reasonably 
suppose,  were  ordered  to  be  kept  below.  Indeed,  Mr. 
Hayward  says  that  there  were  at  the  least  eighteen 
of  them  upon  deck  when  he  went  into  the  boat ;  and 
if  Thompson,  the  sentinel  over  the  arm-chest,  be 
added  to  them,  it  exactly  agrees  with  the  number 
above  named;  there  remains  then  six  to  whom 
Churchill's  order,  "  keep  them  below,'"  might  apply, 
namely,  Heywood,  Stewart,  Coleman,  Norman, 
M'Intosh,  and  Byrne. 

"  Could  Byrne  have  been  one  of  them  ?  No,  for 
he  was  in  the  cutter  alongside.— Could  Coleman 
have  been  one  of  them  1  No,  for  he  was  at  the 
gangway  when  the  captain  and  officers  went  into  the 
launch,  and  aft  upon  the  taff*rail  when  the  boat  was 
veered  astern. — Could  Norman  have  been  one  of 
them  1  No,  for  he  was  speaking  to  the  officers. — 
Could  M'Intosh  have  been  one  of  them  1  No,  for 
he  was  with  Coleman  and  Norman,  desiring  the 
captain  and  officers  to  take  notice  that  they  v^ere 
not  concerned  in  the  mutiny.    It  could  then  hava 


THE  king's  warrant.  231 

jpplied  to  nobody  but  to  Mr.  Stewart  and  myself; 
gnd  by  this  order  of  Churchill,  therefore,  was  I  pre* 
vented  from  gohig  with  the  captain  in  the  boat. 

"  The  foreg-oing  appear  to  me  the  most  material 
points  of  evidence  on  the  part  of  the  prosecution. 
My  defence  being  very  full,  and  the  body  of  evidence 
in  my  favour  too  great  to  admit  of  observation  in 
this  concise  manner,  I  shall  refer  for  an  opinion 
thereon  to  the  minutes  of  the  court-martial. 

(Signed)  "P.  Heywood." 

There  is  a  note  in  iMarshall's  Naval  Biography,* 
furnished  by  Captain  Heywood,  which  shows  one 
motive  for  keeping  him  and  Stewart  in  the  ship.  It 
is  as  follows: — "Mr.  Stewart  was  no  sooner  re- 
leased than  he  demanded  of  Christian  the  reason  of 
his  detention ;  upon  which  the  latter  denied  having 
given  any  directions  to  that  effect;  and  his  assertion 
was  corroborated  by  Churchill,  who  declared  that  he 
had  kept  both  him  and  Mr.  Heywood  below, 
knov/ing  it  was  their  intention  to  go  away  with 
Bligh ;  '  in  which  case,'  added  he,  '  what  would 
become  of  us,  if  any  thing  should  happen  to  you ; 
who  is  there  but  yourself  and  them  to  depend  upon, 
in  navigating  the  ship?'"  It  may  be  suspected, 
however,  that  neither  Christian  nor  Churchill  told 
the  exact  truth,  and  that  Mr.  Heywood's  case  is,  in 
point  of  fact,  much  stronger  than  he  ever  could  have 
imagined ;  and  that  if  Bligh  had  not  acted  the  part 
of  a  prejudiced  and  unfair  man  towards  him,  he 
would  have  been  acquitted  by  the  court  on  the  same 
ground  that  Coleman,  Norman,  M'Intosh,  and  Byrne 
were, — namely,  that  they  were  detained  in  the  ship 
against  their  will,  as  stated  by  Bligh  in  the  narrative 
on  which  they  were  tried,  and  also  in  his  printed 
report.  It  has  before  been  observed,  that  many 
tilings  are  s  3t  down  in  Bligh's  original  manuscript 

*  Vol.  U.  p.  778, 


232  THE    KING'S     WARRANT. 

journal,  that  have  not  appeared  in  any  published 
document ;  and  on  this  part  of  the  subject  there  is, 
in  the  former,  the  following  very  miportant  admis- 
sion. "As  for  the  officers  whose  cabins  were  in 
the  cockpit,  there  was  no  rehef  for  them ;  they  en- 
deavoured to  come  to  my  assistance,  but  were  not 
allowed  to  put  their  heads  above  the  hatchway.^''  To 
say,  therefore,  that  in  the  suppression  of  this  pas- 
sage Bligh  acted  with  prejudice  and  unfairness  is  to 
make  use  of  mild  terms ;  it  has  more  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  deliberate  act  of  malice,  by  which  two 
inn'>''ent  men  might  have  been  condemned  to  suffer 
an  ignominious  death,  one  of  whom  was  actually 
brought  into  this  predicament ;— the  other  only  es- 
caped it  by  a  premature  death.  It  may  be  asked, 
how  did  Bligh  know  that  Stewart  and  Hey  wood  en- 
deavoured, but  were  not  allowed,  to  come  to  his  as- 
sistance ■?  Confined  as  he  was  on  the  quarter-deck, 
how  could  he  know  what  was  going  on  below  1  The 
answer  is,  he  must  have  known  it  from  Christian 
himself;  Churchill,  no  doubt,  acted  entirely  by  his 
leader's  orders,  and  the  latter  could  give  no  orders 
that  were  not  heard  by  Bligh,  whom  he  never  left 
but  held  the  cord  by  which  his  hands  were  fettered 
till  he  was  forced  into  the  boat.  Churchill  was  quite 
right  as  to  the  motive  of  keeping  these  young 
officers  ;  but  Christian  had  no  doubt  another  and  a 
stronger  motive :  he  knew  how  necessary  it  was  to 
interpose  a  sort  of  barrier  between  himself  and  his 
mutinous  gang ;  he  was  too  good  an  adept  not  to 
know  that  seamen  will  always  pay  a  more  ready  and 
cheerful  obedience  to  officers  who  2xe  gentlemen,  than 
to  those  who  may  have  risen  to  command  from  among 
themselves.  It  is  indeed  a  common  observation  in 
the  service,  that  officers  who  have  risen  from  before 
the  mast  are  generally  the  greatest  tyrants.*    It  was 


*  Some  few  captains  were  in  the  habit  of  turning  over  a  delinquen* 
to  be  tried  by  ibeir  meaamates,  and  wbea  found  gtiilty  it  invariable 


THE  king's  warrant.  233 

Bligh's  misfortune  not  to  have  been  educated  in  the 
cockpit  of  a  man  of  war,  among  young  gentlemen, 
which  is  to  the  navy  what  a  pubUc' school  is  to 
those  who  are  to  move  in  civil  society.  What 
painful  sufferings  to  the  individual,  and  how  much 
misery  to  an  affectionate  family  might  have  been 
spared,  had  Bhgh,  instead  of  suppressing,  only  suf- 
fered the  passage  to  stand  as  originally  written  in  his 
journal! 

The  remarks  of  young  Heywood  above  recited 
were  received  and  transmitted  by  his  sister  Nessy 
in  a  letter  to  the  Earl  of  Chatham,  then  first  lord 
of  the  Admiralty,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  :— 

«  Great  Russell- Street,  Wth  Oct,  1792. 
"  My  Lord, 
"  To^a  nobleman  of  your  lordship's  known  hu- 
manity and  excellence  of  heart  I  dare  hope  that  the 
unfortunate  cannot  plead  in  vain.  Deeply  impressed 
as  I  therefore  am  with  sentiments  of  the  most  pro- 
found respect  for  a  character  v/hich  I  have  been  ever 
taught  to  revere,  and  alas!  nearly  interested  as  I 
must  be  in  the  subject  of  these  hnes,  may  I  request 
your  lordship  will  generously  pardon  a  sorrowful 
and  mourning  sister  for  presuming  to  offer  the  en- 
closed [remarks]  for  your  candid  perusal.  It  con- 
tains a  few  observations  made  by  my  most  unfor- 
tunate and  tenderly  beloved  brother,  Peter  Hey- 
wood, endeavouring  to  elucidate  some  parts  of  the 
evidence  given  at  the  court-martial  lately  held  at 
Portsmouth  upon  himself  and  other  prisoners  of  his 
majesty's  ship  Bounty.  When  I  assure  you,  my 
lord,  that  he  is  dearer  and  more  precious  to  me  than 
lany  object  on  earth — nay,  infinitely  more  valuable 
than  life   itself— that,  deprived  of  him,  the  word 

tiapK-ned  that  the  punishment  inflicted  was  doubly  spvere  to  what  it 
would  have  been  in  the  ordinary  way.  This  practice,— which,  as  jriving 
a  deliberative  voice  to  tlie  ship's  company,  was  highly  reprehensible, — 
U  is  lo  be  hopeil,  has  entirely  ceased. 


234  THE    KING  S    WARRANT. 

misery  -would  but  ill  express  my  complicated  wretch* 
edness — and  that  on  his  fate  my  own  and  (shall  1 
not  add  1)  that  of  a  tender,  fond,  and  alas  !  widowed 
mother  depend,  I  am  persuaded  you  will  not  won- 
der, nor  be  offended,  that  1  am  thus  bold  in  conjuring 
youi  lordship  will  consider  with  your  usual  candour 
and  benevolence  the  "  observations"  I  now  offer 
you,  as  well  as  the  painful  situation  of  my  dear  and 
unhappy  brother. 

"  I  have  the  honour,  &c. 

"  Nessy  Heywood." 

Whether  this  letter  and  its  enclosure  produced  any 
effect  on  the  mind  of  Lord  Chatham  does  not  appear ; 
but  no  immediate  steps  were  taken,  nor  was  any  an- 
swer given ;  and  this  amiable  young  lady  and  her 
friends  were  suffered  to  remain  in  the  most  painful 
state  of  suspense  for  another  fortnight.  A  da;^  or  two 
before  the  warrant  was  despatched,  that  excellent 
man  Mr.  Graham  writes  thus  to  Mrs.  Heywood  : — 

"  My  dear  Madam, 

"  If  feeling  for  the  distresses  and  rejoicing  in  the 
happiness  of  others  denote  a  heart  which  entitles 
the  owner  of  it  to  the  confidence  of  the  good  and 
virtuous,  I  would  fain  be  persuaded  that  mine  has 
been  so  far  interested  in  your  misfortunes,  and  is 
now  so  pleased  with  the  prospect  of  your  being  made 
happy,  as  cannot  fail  to  procure  me  the  friendship 
of  your  family,  which,  as  it  is  my  ambition,  it  cannot 
cease  to  be  my  desire  to  cultivate. 

"  Unused  to  the  common  rewards  which  are 
sought  after  in  this  world,  I  will  profess  to  antici- 
pate more  real  pleasure  and  satisfaction  from  the « 
simple  declaration  of  you  and  yours,  that  "we  ac- 
cept of  your  services,  and  we  thank  you  for  them," 
than  it  is  in  common  minds  to  conceive ;  but,  fear- 
ful lest  a  too  grateful  sense  should  be  entertained  of 
the  friendly  offices  I  have  been  engaged  in  (vvhi'^h. 


THE  king's  warrant.  235 

however,  I  ought  to  confess  I  was  prompted  to,  in 
the  first  place,  by  a  remembrance  of  the  many  obli- 
gations I  owed  to  Commodore  Pasley),  I  must  beg 
you  will  recollect,  that  by  sending  to  me  your  charm- 
ing Nessy  (and  if  strong  affection  may  plead  such  a 
privilege,  I  may  be  allowed  to  call  her  my  daughter 
also)  you  would  have  overpaid  me  if  my  trouble  had 
boen  ten  times  and  my  uneasmess  ten  thousand 
times  greater  than  they  were,  upon  what  I  once 
thought  the  melancholy,  but  now  deem  the  fortunate, 
occasion  which  has  given  me  the  happiness  of  her 
acquaintance.  Thus  far,  my  dear  madam,  I  have 
written  to  please  myself.  Now,  for  what  must 
please  you ;  and  in  which,  too,  I  have  my  share  of 
satisfaction. 

"The  business,  though  not  publicly  known,  is 
most  certainly  finished ;  and  what  1  had  my  doubts 
about  yesterday  I  am  satisfied  of  to-day.  Happy, 
happy,  happy  family  !  accept  of  my  congratulations ; 
not  for  what  it  is  in  the  power  of  words  to  express, 
but  for  what  I  know  you  will  feel,  upon  being  told 
that  your  beloved  Peter  will  soon  be  restored  to 
your  "bosom  with  every  virtue  that  can  adorn  a  man, 
and  ensure  to  him  an  affectionate,  a  tender,  and 
truly  welcome  reception." 

At  the  foot  of  this  letter  Nessy  writes  thus  : — 
"  Now,  my  dearest  mamma,  did  you  ever  in  all  your 
life  read  so  charming  a  letter  1  Be  assured  it  is  ex- 
actly characteristic  of  the  benevolent  writer.  What 
would  I  give  to  be  transported  (though  only  for  a 
moment')  "to  your  elbow,  that  I  might  see  you- read 
it  ]  What  will  you  feel,  when  you  know  assuredly 
that  you  may  with  certainty  believe  its  contents  ? 
W'ell  may  Mr.  Graham  call  us  happy !  for  ne^'er 
fehcity  could  equal  ours !  Don't  expect  connected 
sentences  from  me  at  present,  for  this  joy  makes 
me  almost  delirious.     A.dieu !  love  to  all — I  need 


236  THE  king's  warrant. 

not  say  be  happy  and  blpssed  as  I  am  at  this  dear 
hour,  my  beloved  mother, 

"  Your  most  affectionate, 

"  N.  H." 

On  the  24th  October  the  kin<^'8  warrant  was  de- 
spatched from  the  Admiralty,  granting  a  full  and  free 
pardon  to  Hey  wood  and  Morrison,  a  respite,  for 
Muspratt,  which  was  followed  by  a  pardon  ;  and  for 
carrying  the  sentence  of  Ellison,  Burkitt,  and  Mill- 
ward  into  execution,  which  was  done  on  the  29th, 
on  board  his  majesty's  ship  Brunswick,  in  Ports- 
mouth harbour.  On  this  melancholy  occasion  Cap- 
tain Hamond  reports  that  "  the  criminals  behaved 
with  great  penitence  and  decorum,  acknowledged 
the  justice  of  their  sentence  for  the  crime  of  which 
they  had  been  found  guilty,  and  exhorted  their 
fellow-sailors  to  take  warning  by  their  untimely 
fate,  and  whatever  might  be  their  hardships,  never 
to  forget  their  obedience  to  their  officers,  as  a  duty 
they  owed  to  their  king  and  country."  The  captain 
adds,  "  A  party  from  each  ship  in  the  harbour  and 
at  Spithe-ced  attended  the  execution,  and  from  the 
reports  I  have  received,  the  example  seems  to  have 
made  a  great  impression  upon  the  minds  of  all  the 
ships'  companies  present." 

The  same  warrant  that  carried  with  it  affliction  to 
the  friends  of  these  unfortunate  men  was  the  har 
binger  of  joy  to  the  family  and  friends  of  young  Hey- 
wood.  The  happy  intelligence  was  communicated 
to  his  affectionate  Nessy  on  the  26th,  who  instantly 
despatched  the  joyful  tidings  to  her  anxious  mother 
in  the  following  characteristic  note  : — 

"  Friday,  26th  October,  four  o^clock.  . 

"  Oh,  blessed  hour  !— little  did  I  think,  my  beloved 

friends,  when  I  closed  my  letter  this  morning,  that 

before  night  I  should  be  out  of  my  senses  with  joy  ! 

— this  moment,  this  ecstatic  moment,  brought  the 


THE  king's  warrant.  237 

enclosed.*  I  cannot  speak  my  happiness ;  let  it  be 
sufficient  to  say,  that  in  a  very  few  hours  our  angel 
Peter  will  be  free  !  Mr.  Graham  goes  this  night  to 
Portsmouth,  and  to-morrow,  or  next  day  at  farthest, 
I  shall  be — oh,  heavens !  what  shall  I  be  ?  1  am 
already  transported,  even  to  pain ;  then  how  shall  I 
bear  to  clasp  him  to  the  bosom  of  your  happy,  ah ! 
how  very  happy,  and  affectionate, 

"  Nessy  Heywood." 

"  I  am  too  mad  to  write  sense,  but  'tis  a  pleasure 

1  would  not  forego  to  be  the  most  reasonable  being 

on  earth.     I  asked  Mr.  Graham,  who  is  at  my  elbow, 

if  he  would  say  any  thing  to  you,  '  Lord  !'  said  he, 

*  I  can't  say  any  thing :'  he  is  almost  as  mad  as 
myself."! 

*  Information  that  the  pardon  was  gone  down  to  Portsmouth. 
'She  liad  received,  previous  to  this,  information  of  what  the  event 
would  be,  and  thus  gives  vent  to  her  feelings. 

*  Onreceiving  certain  Intelligence  that  my  most  amiable  and  beloved 

Brother,  Peter  Heyivood,  would  soon  be  restored  to  Freedom 
"  Oh,  blissful  hour  !— oh  gioment  of  delight ! 
Replete  with  happiness,  with  rapture  bright! 
An  age  of  pain  is  sure  rejiaid  by  this, 
'Tis  joy  too  great— 'lis  ecstasy  of  bliss! 
Ye  sweet  sensations  crowding  on  my  soul, 
Which  following  each  other  swiftly  roll, — 
Ye  dear  ideas  which  unceasing  press 
And  pain  this  bosom  by  your  wild  excess, 
Ah  I  kindly  cease— for  pity's  sake  subside. 
Nor  thus  o'erwhelm  me  with  joy's  rapid  tide : 
My  beating  heart,  oppress'd  with  wo  and  care, 
Has  yet  to  learn  such  happiness  to  bear : 
From  grief,  distracting  grief,  thus  high  to  soar, 
To  know  dull  pain  and  misery  no  more, 
To  hail  each  op'ning  morn  with  new  delight, 
To  rest  in  peace  and  joy  each  happy  night, 
To  see  my  Lycidas  from  bondage  free, 
Restored  to  life,  to  pleasure,  and  to  me, 
To  see  him  thus — adorn'd  with  virtue's  charms, 
To  give  him  to  a  longing  mother's  arms. 
To  know  him  by  surrounding  friends  caress'd, 
Of  honour,  fame,  of  life's  best  gifts  possessed. 
Oh,  my  full  heart !  'tis  joy— 'tis  bliss  supreme, 
And  though  'tis  rea! — yet,  how  like  a  dream  ! 
Teach  me  then,  Heav'n,  lo  bear  it  as  I  ought, 
Inspir '  each  rapt'rous,  each  transporting  thought ; 


238  THE  king's  warrant. 

Mr.  Graham  writes,  "  I  have  however  my  senses 
sufficiently  about  me  not  to  suffer  this  to  go  witliout 
begging  leave  to  congratulate  you  upon,  and  to 
assure  you  that  I  most  sincerely  sympathize  and 
participate  in,  the  happiness  which  1  am  sure  the 
enclosed  will  convey  to  the  mother  and  sisters  of  my 
charming  and  beloved  Nessy." 

This  "  charming"  girl  next  writes  to  Mr.  Const, 
who  attended  as  counsel  for  her  brother,  to  acquaint 
him  with  the  joyful  intelligence,  and  thus  concludes : 
"  I  flatter  myself  you  will  partake  in  the  joy  which, 
notwithstanding  it  is  so  excessive  at  this  moment 
as  almost  to  deprive  me  of  my  faculties,  leaves  me 
however  sufficiently  collected 'to  assure  you  of  the 
eternal  gratitude  and  esteem  with  which  I  am,  &c." 

To  which  Mr.  Const,  after  congratulations  and 
thanks  for  her  polite  attention,  observes,  "  Give  me 
leave,  my  dear  Miss  Heywood,  to  assure  you  that 
the  intelligence  has  given  me  a  degree  of  plea- 
sure which  I  have  not  terms  to  express,  and  it  is 
even  increased  by  knowing  what  you  must  expe- 
rience on  the  event.  Not  is  it  an  immaterial  reflec- 
tion, that  although  your  brother  was  unfortunately 
involved  in  the  general  calamity  which  gave  birth  to 
the  charge,  he  is  uncontaminated  by  the  crime ;  for 
there  was  not  a  credible  testimony  of  the  slightest 
fact  against  him  that  can  make  the  strictest  friend 
deplore  any  thing  that  has  passed,  except  his  suffer- 
ings ;  and  his  uniform  conduct  under  them  only 
proved  how  little  he  deserved  them." 

Mr.  Graham's  impatience  and  generous  anxiety  to 


Teach  me  to  bend  beneath  thy  bounteous  hand, 
With  cratitude  my  willing:  heart  exoand  : 
To  thy  omnipotence  I  humbly  bow, 
Afflicted  once— but  ah!  how  happj  now! 
Restored  in  peace,  submissive  to  thy  will, 
Oh  I  bless  his  da^'s  to  come — protect  him  still; 
Prolong  his  life,  thy  goodness  to  adore, 
And  oh  I  let  sorrow's  shafts  ne'er  wound  him  more. 
"  London,  October  \bth,  1792,  midnight.  "Nkssv  HkywooD.* 


THE  king's  warrant.  239 

give  the  finishing  stroke  to  this  joyful  event  would 
not  permit  him  to  delay  one  moment  in  setting  out 
for  Portsmouth,  and  bringing  up  to  his  house  in 
town  the  innocent  sufferer,  where  they  arrived  on 
the  morning  of  the  29th  October.  Miss  Heywood 
can  best  speak  her  own  feelings. 

"  Great  RusseU-streeU  Monday  morning, 
29ih  October,    half  past   ten  o'clock — 
the  brightest  moment  of  my    existence  ! 
"  My  dearest  mamma, — I  have  seen  him,  clasped 
him  to  my  bosom,  and  my  fehcity  is  beyond  expres- 
sion !     In  person  he  is  almost  even  now  as  I  could 
wish  ;  in  mind  you  know  him  an  angel.     I  can  write 
no  more, but  to  tell  you,  that  the  three  happiest  beings 
at  this  moment  on  earth  are  your  most  dutiful  and 
affectionate  children,  "  Nessy  Hevwood. 

"  Peter  Hevwood. 
"  James  Heywood 
"  Love  to  and  from  all  ten  thousand  times." 

The  worthy  Mr.  Graham  adds,  "If,  my  dearest 
madam,  it  were  ever  given  for  mortals  to  be  su- 
premely blest  on  earth,  mine  to  be  sure  must  be  the 
happy  family.  Heavens!  with  what  unbounded  ex- 
travagance have  we  been  forming  our  wishes !  and 
yet  how  far  beyond  our  most  unbounded  wishes  we 
are  blest !  Nessy,  Maria,*  Peter,  and  James,  I  see, 
have  all  been  endeavouring  to  express  their  feelings. 
I  will  not  fail  in  any  such  attempt,  for  I  will  not  at- 
tempt any  thing  beyond  an  assurance  that  the  scene 
J  have  been  witness  of,  and  in  which  I  am  happily  so 
great  a  sharer,  beggars  all-  description.  Permit  me, 
however,  to  offer  my  most  sincere  congratulations 
upon  the  joyful  occasion.'^ 

This  amiable  young  lady,  some  of  whose  letters 
have  been  introduced  into  this  narrative,  did  not  long 

*  Mr.  Graham's  daughter. 


240  THE    KING*S    WARliANT. 

survive  her  brother's  liberty.  This  impassioned  aad 
most  affectionate  of  sisters,  with  an  excess  of  sensi- 
bility which  acted  too  powerfully  on  her  bodily 
frame,  sunk,  as  is  often  the  case  with  such  suscepti- 
ble minds,  on  the  first  attack  of  consumption.  She 
died  within  the  year  of  her  brother's  liberation.  On 
this  occasion  the  following  note  from  her  afflicted 
mother  appears  among  the  papers  from  which  the 
letters  and  poetry  are  taken.  "  My  dearest  NesSy 
was  seized,  while  on  a  visit  at  Major  Yorke's,  at 
Bishop's  Grove,  near  Tunbridge  Wells,  with  a  vio- 
lent cold,  and  not  taking  proper  care  of  herself,  it 
soon  turned  to  inflammation  on  her  lungs,  which 
carried  her  off"  at  Hastings,  to  which  place  she  was 
taken  on  the  5th  September,  to  try  if  the  change  of 
air,  and  being  near  the  sea,  would  recover  her  ;  but 
alas  !  it  was  too  late  for  her  to  receive  the  wished- 
for  benefit,  and  she  died  there  on  the  25th  of  the 
same  month,  1793,  and  has  left  her  only  su-viving 
parent  a  disconsolate  mother,  to  lament,  while  ever 
she  lives,  with  the  most  sincere  and  deep  aftlir.tion, 
the  irreparable  loss  of  her  most  valuable,  aff"ectionate, 
and  darling  daughter."* 

*  Several  elegiac  stanzas  were  written  on  the  death  of  this  accom- 

f'lished  young  lady.  The  following  are  dated  from  her  native  place,  the 
sle  of  Man,  where  her  virtues  and  accomplishments  could  best  be  ap- 
preciated. 

"  How  soon,  sweet  maid  !  how  like  a  fleeting  dream 
The  winning  graces,  all  thy  virtues  seem  ! 
How  soon  arrested  in  thy  early  bloom 
Has  fate  decreed  thee  to  the  joyless  tomb  ! 
Nor  beauty,  geni\is,  nor  the  muse's  care. 
Nor  aushf.  could  move  the  tyrant  Death  to  spare : 
Ah  !  could  their  power  revoke  the  stern  decree, 
The  fatal  shaft  had  pass'd,  unfeitby  thee  ! 
But  vain  thy  wit,  thy  sentiment  refin'd. 
Thy  charms  external,  and  accomjjlish'd  mind  ; 
Thy  artless  smiles,  that  seized  (he  willing  heart. 
Thy  converse,  that  could  pure  delight  impart ; 
The  melting  music  ol  thy  skilful  tongue. 
While  judgement  iistf-n'd,  ravi:-,hM  with  thy  song: 
Not  all  th-3  gitls  that  art  and  nature  gave 
Could  save  thee,  lovely  Nessy  I  from  the  grave. 
Too  early  lost  I  from  friendship's  bosom  torn, 
Oh  might  i  tune  thy  lyre,  and  sweetly  mourn 


THE  king's  warrant.  24 

But  to  return  to  Mr.  Heywood.  When  the  king's? 
full  and  free  pardon  had  been  read  to  thisyoung^  oili- 
cer  by  Captain  Montag-u,  with  a  suitable  admonition 
and  congratulation,  he  addressed  that  ofncer  in  the 
following  terms, — so  suitably  characteristic  of  his 
nol'le  and  manly  cojiduct  throughout  the  whole  ol 
the  distressing  business  in  which  he  was  innocently 
involved  : — 

»  *'  Sir, — When  the  sentence  of  the  law  was  passed 
upon  me,  I  received  it,  I  trust,  as  became  a  man  ; 
and  if  it  had  been  carried  into  execution,  I  should 
have  met  my  fate,  I  hope,  in  a  manner  becoming  a 
Christian.  Your  admonition  cannot  fail  to  make  a 
Ja'sting  impression  on  my  mind.  I  receive  with 
gratitude  my  sovereign's  mercy,  for  which  my  future 
life  shall  be  faithfully  devoted  to  his  service."* 


In  strains  like  thine,  when  beauteous  Margaret's(a)  fate 
Oppress'il  thy  friendly  heart  with  sorrow's  weight; 
Then  should  iny  iiuinhers  flow,  and  laurels  bloom 
In  endless  spring  around  fair  Nessy's  tomb." 
{a)  /'Eluding  to  some  elegant  lines,  by  the  deceased,  on  the  death  of  a 
female  friend. 

% 
*  The  following  appears  to  have  been  written  by  Mr.  P.  Heywood  on 
Ihe  day  thai  the  sentence  of  condemnation  was  passed  on  him. 

" Silence  then 

The  whispers  of  con^plaint,— low  in  the  dust, 

Dissatisfaction's  demon's  growl  unheard, 

All— all  is  jjood,  ;:U  excellent  below  ; 

Pain  is  a  blessinp — sorrow  leads  to  joy — 

Joy,  permanent  and  solid  !  ev'ry  ill. 

Grim  Death  itself,  in  all  its  horrors  clad, 

Is  man's  supremesi  jirivilege  I  it  frees 

The  :iou!  from  prison,  from  foul  sin,  from  wo, 

And  ;sives  it  back  to  glory,  rest,  and  God  1 

Cheerly,  my  friends.— oh,  cheerly  !  look  not  thua 

With  Pity's  melting  soHness  I — that  alone 

Can  shakemy  fortitude— all  is  not  lost. 

Lol  I  have  gain'd  on  this  important  day 

A  victory  consummate  o'er  myself, 

And  o'er  this  life  a  victory,- on  this  day, 

My  birthday  to  eternity,  I've  gain'd 

Dismission  from  a  Avorld.  where  for  a  while. 

Like  you,  like  all,  a  pilgrim,  passing  poor 

A  traveller,  a  stranger,  I  have  met 


242 

And  Avell  did  his  future  conduct  fulfil  that  promise 
Notwithitanding  the  inauspicious  manner  in  which 
the  first  five  years  of  his  servitude  in  the  navy  had 
been  passed,  two  of  which  were  spent  among-  muti- 
neers and  savages,  and  eighteen  months  as  a  close 
prisoner  in  irons,  in  which  condition  he  was  ship- 
wrecked and  within  an  ace  of  perishing, — notwith- 
standing this  unpromising  commencement,  he  re- 
entered the  naval  service  under  the  auspices  of  his 
uncle.  Commodore  Pasley,  and  Lord  Hood,  who 
presided  at  his  trial,  and  who  earnestly  recommended 
him  to  embark  again  as  a  midshipman  witliout  delay, 
offering  to  take  him  into  the  Victor)^  under  his  own 
immediate  patronage.  In  the  course  of  his  service, 
to  qualify  for  the  commission  of  lieutenant,  he  was 
under  the  respective  commands  of  three  or  four  dis- 
tinguished officers  who  had  sat  on  his  trial,  from  all 
of  whom  he  received  the  most  flattering  proofs  of 
esteem  and  approbation.  To  the  application  of  Sir 
Thomas  Pasley  to  Lord  Spencer,  for  his  promotion, 
that  nobleman,  with  that  due  regard  he  was  always 

Still  stranger  treatment,  rude  and  hafsh  I  so  much 
The  dearer,  more  desired,  the  honr'ft  I  seek, 
Eternal  of  my  Father,  and  my  God  I 
Then  pious  Resignation,  ineek-ey'J  pow'r, 
Sustain  me  still  I     Composure  still  be  mine. 
Where  rests  it  ?     Oh,  mysterioiis  Providence ! 
Silence  the  wild  idea. — I  have  found 
No  mercy  yet  -no  mild  humanity, 
With  cruel,  unrelenting  rigour  torn, 
And  lost  in  prison— lost  to  all  below!" 
And  the  following  appears  to  have  been  written  on  the  day  of'  Uu) 
king's  pardon  being  leceived. 

" ©h  deem  it  not 

Presumptuous,  that  my  soul  grateful  thus  rales 
The  present  hitrh  deliv'rance  it  hath  found ; — 
Sole  effort  of  thy  wisdom,  sov'reign  Pow'r, 
Without  whose  knowledge  not  a  sparrow  falls  ! 
Hh  I  may  1  cease  to  live,  ere  cease  to  bless 
That  interposing  hand,  which  turn'd  aside- 
Nay,  to  my  life  and  preservation  turn'd, — 
The  fatal  blow  {)reci})itate,  ordain'd 
To  level  all  my  little  hopes  in  dust, 
And  give  me — to  the  grave. 


THE  king's  warrant.  243 

Liiown  to  pay  to  the  honour  and  interests  of  the 
navy,  while  individual  claims  w^ere  never  overlooked, 
gave  the  following  reply,  which  must  have  been 
highly  gratifying  to  the  feelings  of  Mr.  Heywood 
and  his  family. 

"  Admiralty,  Jan.  13th,  1797. 
«  Sir, 
"  I  should  have  returned  an  earlier  answer  to  youi 
letter  of  the  Cth  instant,  if  I  had  not  been  desirous, 
before  I  answered  it,  to  look  over,  with  as  much  at- 
tention as  was  in  my  power,  the  proceedings  on  the 
court-martial  held  in  the  year  1792,  by  which  court 
Mr.  Peter  Heywood  was  condemned  for  being  con- 
cerned in  the  mutiny  on  board  the  Boun^\  I  felt 
this  to  be  necessary,  from  having  entertained  a  very 
strong  (Opinion  that  it  might  be  detrimental  to  the 
interests  of  his  majesty's  service,  if  a  person  under 
such  a  predicament  should  be  afterward  advanced 
to  the  higher  and  more  conspicuous  situations  of  the 
navy  ;  but  having,  v/itli  great  attention,  perused  the 
minutes  of  that  court-martial,  as  far  as  they  relate 
to  Mr.  Peter  Heywood,  I  have  now  the  satisfaction 
of  being  able  to  inform  you,  that  I  think  his  case  v;as 
such  a  one  as,  under  all  its  circumstances  (though 
I  do  not  mean  to  sa}^  that  the  court  were  not  justi- 
fied in  their  sentence),  ought  not  to  be  considered  as 
a  bar  to  his  further  progress  in  his  profession ;  more 
especially  when  the  gallantry  and  proprietj-  of  his 
conduct  in  his  subsequent  service  are  taken  into  con- 
sideration. T  shall  therefore  have  no  difficulty  in 
mentioning  him  to  the  commander-in-chief  on  the 
station  to  which  he  belongs,  as  a  person  from  whose 
promotion,  on  a  proper  opportunity,  I  shall  derive 
much  satisfaction,  more  particularly  from  his  being 
so  nearly  connected  with  you. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 
(Signed)  "  Spencer.'' 


244  PITCAIRNS    ISLAND. 

It  is  not  here  intended  to  follow  Mr.  Heyvvood 
through  his  honourable  career  of  service,  during  the 
long  and  arduous  contest  with  France,  and  in  the 
several  commands  wfth  which  he  was  intrusted.  In  a 
note  of  his  own  writing  it  is  stated,  that  on  paying  otT 
the  Montagu,  in  July,  1816,  he  came  oa  shore,  after 
having  been  actively  employed  at  sea  twenty-seven 
years,  six  months,  one  week,  and  five  days,  out  of  a 
servitude  in  the  navy  of  twenty-nine  years,  seven 
months,  and  one  day.  Having  reached  nearly  the 
top  of  the  list  of  captains,  he  died  m  the  year 
1831,  leaving  behind  him  a  high  and  r.nblemished 
character  in  that  service  of  which  he  vas  a  most 
honourable,  intelligent,  and  distinguished  member 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    LAST    OF    THE    MUTINEERS. 

Who  by  repentance  Is  not  satisfied, 
Is  nor  of  heaven  nor  earth ;  for  these  are  pleased ; 
By  penitence  th'  Eternal's  wrath  's  api)eased, 

TwENTv  years  had  passed  away,  and  the  Bounty, 
and  Fletcher  Christian,  and  the  piratical  crew  that 
he  had  carried  off  with  him  in  that  ship,  had  long 
ceased  to  occupy  a  thought  in  the  public  mind. 
Throughout  the  whole  of  that  eventful  period,  the 
attention  of  all  Europe  had  been  absorbed  in  the  con- 
templation of  "  enterprises  of  great  pith  and  mo- 
ment,"— of  the  revolutions  of  empires — the  bustle 
and  business  of  warlike  preparations — the  move- 
ments of  hostile  armies — battles  by  sea  and  land, 
and  of  all  "  the  pomp  and  circumstance  of  glorious 
war."  If  the  subject  of  the  Bounty  was  accident- 
a/ly  mentioned,  it  was  merely  to  express  an  opiniou 


PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND.  245 

that  this  vessel  and  those  within  her  had  gone  down 
to  the  bottom,  or  that  some  savage  islanders  ha.d  in- 
flicted on  the  mutineers  that  measure  of  retribution 
so  justly  due  to  their  crime.  It  happened  however, 
some  years  before  the  conclusion  of  this  war  of  un- 
exampled duration,  that  an  accidental  discovery,  as 
interesting  as  it  was  wholly  unexpected,  was  brought 
to  light  in  consequence  of  an  American  trading  vessel 
having,  by  mere  chance,  approached  one  of  those 
numerous  islands  in  the  Pacific  agannst  whose  steep 
and  iron-bound  shore  the  surf  almost  everlastingly 
rolls  with  such  tremendous  violence  as  to  bid  defi- 
ance to  any  attempt  of  boats  to  land,  except  at  par- 
ticular times  and  in  very  few  places. 

The  first  intimation  of  this  extraordinary  discov- 
ery was  transmitted  by  Sir  Sydney  Smith  from  Rio 
de  .Janeiro,  and  received  at  the  Admiralty  14th  May, 
1809.  It  was  conveyed  to  him  from  Valparaiso  by 
Lieutenant  Fitzmaurice,  and  was  as  follows: — 

"  Captain  Folger,  of  the  American  ship  Topaz,  of 
Boston,  relates,  that  upon  landing  on  Pitcairn's 
Island,  inlat.  25°  2'  S.,  long.  130^  W.,he  found  there 
an  Englishman,  of  the  name  of  Alexander  Smith, 
the  only  person  remaining  of  nine  that  escaped  in 
his  majesty's  late  ship  Bounty,  Captain  W.  Bligh. 
Smith  relates  that,  after  putting  Captain  Bligh  in  the 
boat,  Christian,  the  leader  of  the  mutiny,  took  com- 
mand of  the  ship  and  went  to  Otaheite,  where  great 
part  of  the  crew  left  her,  except  Christian,  Smith, 
and  seven  others,  who  each  took  wives,  and  six  Ota- 
heitan  men-servants,  and  shortly  after  arrived  at 
the  said  island  (Pitcairn),  where  they  ran  the  ship  on 
shore,  and  broke  her  up;  this  event  took  place  in  the 
year  1790. 

"About  four  years  after  their  arrival  (a  great 
jealousy  existing),  the  Otaheitans  secretly  re- 
volted, and  killed  every  Englishman  except  himself, 
whom  they  severely  wounded  in  the  neck  with  a 
pistol  ball.  The  same  niifht,  the  widows  of  the  de- 
t 


246  PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND. 

ceased  Eno:lishraen  arose  and  put  to  death  the  whole 
of  the  Otaheitans,  leavino^  Smith  the  only  man  ahve 
upon  the  island,  with  eight  or  nine  women  and  sev- 
eral small  children.  On  his  recovery,  he  applied 
himself  to  tilling-  the  ground,  so  that  it  now  pro- 
duces plenty  of  yarns,  cocoanuts,  bananas,  and  plan- 
tains ;  hogs  and  poultry  in  abundance.  There  are 
now  some  grouTi-up  men  and  w^omen,  children  of 
the  mutineers,  on  the  island,  the  whole  population 
amounting  to  about  thirty-five,*  who  acknowledge 
Smith  as  father  and  commander  of  them  all ;  they 
all  speak  English,  and  have  been  educated  by  him 
(as  Captain  Folger  represents)  in  a  religious  and 
moral  way. 

"  The  second  mate  of  the  Topaz  asserts  that 
Christian,  the  ringleader,  became  insane  shortly  after 
their  arrival  on  the  island,  and  threw  himself  off  the 
rocks  into  the  sea ;  another  died  of  a  fever  before 
the  massacre  of  the  remaining  six  took  place.  The 
island  is  badly  supplied  with  water,  sufficient  only 
for  the  present  inhabitants,  and  no  anchorage. 

"  Smith  gave  to  Captain  Folger  a  chronometer 
made  by  Kendall,  which  was  taken  from  him  by  the 
Governor  of  .Tuan  Fernandez. 

"  Extracted  from  the  log-book  of  the  Topaz,  29th 
Sept.  1808. 

(Signed)  "  Wm.  Fitzmaurice,  Lieut. 

«  Valparaiso,  Oct.  lOth,  1808." 

This  narrative  stated  two  facts  that  established 
its  general  authenticity — the  name  of  Alexander 
Smith,  who  was  one  of  the  mutineers,  and  the  name 
of  the  m.aker  of  the  chronometer  with  which  the 
Bounty  was  actually  supplied.  Interesting  as  this 
discovery  was  considered  to  be,  it  does  not  appear 
that  any  steps  were  taken  in  consequence  of  this 
authenticated  information,  the  government  being  at 
that  tmie  probably  too  much  engaged  in  the  events 
of  the  war ;  nor  was  any  thing  further  heard  of  this 


pitcairn's  island.  247 

ftiteresting  little  society  until  the  latter  part  of  1814, 
when  a  letter  was  transmitted  by  Rear  Admiral  Ho- 
tham,  then  cruising-  off  the  coast  of  America,  from 
Mr.  Folger  himself,  to  the  same  effect  as  the  pre- 
cedmg  extract  from  his  log,  but  dated  March,  1813. 

In  Ihe  first-mentioned  3^ear  (1814)  we  had  two 
frigates  cruising  in  the  Pacific, — the  Briton,  com- 
manded by  Sir  Thomas  Staines,  and  the  Tagus,  by 
Captain  Pipon.  The  following  letter  from  the  for- 
mer of  these  officers  was  received  at  the  Admiralty 
early  in  the  year  1815. 

"  Briton,  Valparaiso,  I8th  Oct.  1814. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  inform  you,  that  on  my 
passage  from  the  Marquesas  Islands  to  this  port,  on 
the  morning  of  the  17th  September,  I  fell  in  with 
an  island  where  none  is  laid  down  in  the  Admiralty 
or  other  charts,  according  to  the  several  chronom- 
eters of  the  Briton  and  Tagus.  I  therefore  hove- 
to,  until  daylight,  and  then  closed  to  ascertain 
whether  it  was  inhabited,  which  I  soon  discovered 
it  to  be,  and,  to  my  great  astonishment,  found  that 
every  individual  on  the  island  (forty  in  number) 
spoke  very  good  English.  They  proved  to  be  the 
descendants  of  the  deluded  crew  of  the  Bounty, 
who,  from  Otaheite,  proceeded  to  the  above-men- 
tioned island,  where  the  ship  was  burned. 

"  Christian  appeared  to  have  been  the  leader  and 
sole  cause  of  the  mutiny  in  that  ship.  A  venerable 
old  man,  named  John  Adams,  is  the  only  surviving 
Englishman  of  those  who  last  quitted  Otaheite  in 
her,  and  whose  exemplary  conduct  and  fatherly 
care  of  the  whole  of  the  little  colony  could  not  but 
command  admiration.  The  pious  manner  in  which 
all  those  born  on  the  island  have  been  reared,  the 
correct  sense  of  religion  which  has  been  instilled 
into  their  young  minds  by  this  old  man,  has  given 
him  tlie  prr-eminence  over  the  whole  of  them,  to 


248  pitcairn's  island. 

whom  they  look  up  as  the  father  of  one  and  Ih? 
whole  family. 

"  A  son  of  Christian  was  the  first  born  on  the 
island,  now  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  named 
Thursday  October  Christian;  the  elder  Christian 
fell  a  sacrifice  to  the  jealousy  of  an  Otaheitan  man, 
within  three  or  four  years  after  their  arrival  on  the 
island.  The  mutineers  were  accompanied  thither 
by  six  Otaheitan  men  and  twelve  women ;  the  for- 
mer were  all  swept  away  by  desperate  contentions 
between  them  and  the  Englishmen,  and  five  of  the 
latter  died  at  different  periods,  leaving  at  present 
only  one  man  (Adams)  and  seven  women  of  the 
original  settlers. 

"  The  island  must  undoubtedly  be  that  called 
Pitcairn,  although  erroneously  laid  down  in  the 
charts.  We  had  the  altitude  of  the  meridian  sun 
close  to  it,  which  gave  us  25°  4'  S.  latitude,  and 
130^  25'  W.  longitude,  by  the  chronometers  of  the 
Briton  and  Tagus. 

"  It  produces  in  abundance  yams,  plantains,  hogs, 
goats,  and  fowls ;  but  the  coast  affords  no  shelter 
for  a  ship  or  vessel  of  any  description ;  neither  could 
a  ship  water  there  without  great  difficulty. 

"I  cannot,  however,  refrain  from  offering  my 
opinion,  that  it  is  well  worthy  the  attention  of  our 
laudable  rehgious  societies,  particularly  that  for 
propagating  the  Christian  religion,  the  whole  of  the 
inhabitants  speaking  "the  Otaheitan  tongue  as  well 
as  the  English. 

"  During  the  whole  of  the  time  they  have  been 
on  the  island,  only  one  ship  has  ever  communicated 
with  them,  which  took  place  about  six  years  since, 
and  this  was  the  American  ship  Topaz,  of  Boston, 
May  hew  Folger,  master. 

"  The  island  is  completely  iron-bound  with  rocky 
shores,  and  the  landing  in  boats  must  be  at  all  times 
difficult,  although  the  island  maybe  safely  approached 
within  a  short  distance  by  a  ship. 

(Signed)  "T,  Staines.'* 


PITOAIRN'S    ISLAND.  249 

Such  was  the  first  official  account  received  of  this 
little  colony.  As  some  further  particulars  of  a 
society  so  singular,  in  all  respects,  were  highly  de- 
sirable, Captain  Pipon,  on  being  applied  to,  had  the 
kindness  to  draw  up  the  following  narrative,  which 
has  all  the  freshness  and  attraction  of  a  first  com- 
munication with  a  new  people. 

Captain  Pipon  takes  a  more  extended  view,  in  his 
private  letter,*  of  the  condition  of  this  little  society. 
He  observes,  that  when  they  first  saw  the  island, 
the  latitude  made  by  the  Tagus  was  24°  40  S.  and 
longitude  130^  24'  W.,  the  ships  being  then  distant 
from  it  five  or  six  leagues ;  and  as  in  none  of  the 
charts  in  their  possession  was  any  land  laid  down 
in  or  near  this  meridian,  they  were  extremely  puz- 
zled to  make  out  what  islaj:d  it  could  possibly  be ; 
for  Pitcairn's  Island,  beinir  tlie  only  one  known  in 
the  neighbourhood,  was  rer. resented  to  be  in  longi- 
tude 133°  24'  W.f  If  this'iiiiw  discovery,  as  they 
supposed  it  to  be,  awakened  their  curiosity,  it  was 
still  more  excited  when  the}^  ran  in  for  the  land  the 
next  morning,  on  perceiving  a  few  huts,  neatly  built, 
amid  plantations  laid  out  apparently  with  some- 
thing like  order  and  regularity ;  and  these  appear- 
ances confirmed  them  more  than  ever  tiiat  it  could 

*"  With  which  the  editor,  at  his  request,  was  favoured  at  the  time. 

t  The  only  authority  that  then  existed  for  laying  down  this  island 
was  tliHt  of  C.iptain  Carteret,  who  first  saw  it  in  17G7.  "  It  is  so  high," 
he  says,  '•  that  we  saw  it  at  the  distance  of  more  than  fifteen  leagues, 
and  it  having  been  discovered  by  a  young  gentleman,  son  to  M-ajor  Pit- 
cairn  of  the  marines,  who  was  unlortunaiely  lost  in  the  Aurora,  we 
called  it  Pitcairnl's  Island."  He  makes  it  in  lat.  25°  2  S  and  long. 
133°  30'  W.,  no  less  than  three  degrees  out  of  its  true  longitude  I  Three 
ini/iutes  would  7iow  be  thought  a  considerable  error:  such  are  ihe 
tfuperior  advantages  conferred  by  lunar  observations  and  imjirovementa 
(ii  chronometers. 

Pitcairn's  Island  has  been  supposed  robe  the  "  Encarnacion'''  of  Quiros, 
by  whom  it  is  stated  to  be  in  "lat.  24°  30',  and  one  thousand  ka<:ues 
ftom  the  coast  of  Peru ;  but  as  he  describes  it  as  "  a  low,  sandy  island, 
almost  level  with  the  sea,  having  a  few  trees  on  it,''  we  must  look  for 
"  Kncariiacioji"  somewhere  else  ;  and  JJjicies  Island,  nearly  in  that  lati- 
tude, very  low,  and  within  6°  of  longitude  from  Pitcairn's  Island,  an- 
swers precisely  to  it. 


250  pitcairn's  island. 

not  be  Pitcairn's  Island,  because  that  was  described 
by  navigators  to  be  uninhabited.  Presently  they 
observed  a  few  natives  coming  down  a  steep  descent, 
with  their  canoes  on  their  shoulders ;  and  in  a  few 
minutes  perceived  one  of  those  little  vessels  darting 
through  a  heavy  surf,  and  paddling  off  towards  the 
ships  ;  but  their  astonishment  was  extreme  when, 
on  coming  alongside,  they  were  hailed  in  the  Eng- 
lish language  with  "  Won't  you  heave  u«  a  rope 
now  ?" 

The  first  young  man  that  sprung,  with  extraor- 
dinary alacrity,  up  the  side,  and  stood  before  them 
on  the  deck,  said,  in  reply  to  the  question,  "  Who 
are  you  V* — that  his  name  was  Thursday  October 
Christian,  son  of  the  late  Fletcher  Christian,  by  an 
Otaheitan  mother  ;  that  he  Avas  the  first  born  on  the 
island,  and  that  he  was  so  called  because  he  was 
brought  into  the  world  on  a  Thursday  in  October. 
Singularly  strange  as  all  this  Avas  to  Sir  Thomas 
Staines  and  Captain  Pipon,  this  youth  soon  satisfied 
them  that  he  was  no  other  than  the  person  he  rep- 
resented himself  to  be,  and  that  he  was  fully  ac- 
quainted v/ith  the  whole  history  of  the  Bounty; 
and,  in  short,  that  the  island  before  them  was  the 
retreat  of  the  mutineers  of  that  ship.  Young  Chris- 
tian was  at  this  time  about  twenty-four  years  of 
age,  a  fine  tall  youth,  full  six  feet  high,  with  dark, 
almost  black,  hair,  and  a  countenance  open  and  ex- 
tremely interesting.  As  he  wore  no  clothes  except 
a  piece  of  cloth  round  his  loins,  and  a  straw  hat, 
ornamented  with  black  cock's  feathers,  his  fine  figure 
and  well-shaped  muscular  limbs  were  displayed  to 
great  advantage,  and  attracted  general  admiration.. 
His  body  was  much  tanned  by  exposure  ta  the 
weather,  and  his  countenance  had  a  brownish  cast, 
unmixed,  however,  with  that  tinge  of  red  so  common 
among  the  nati-ves  of  the  Pacific  islands. 

"Added  to  a  great  share  of  good-humour,  we 
were  glad  to  trace."  says  Captain  Pipon,  "  in  his 


pitcairn's  island.  251 

benevolent  countenance,  all  the  features  of  an  lionest 
English  face."  He  told  them  he  was  married  to  a  wo- 
man much  older  than  himself,  one  of  those  that  ac- 
companied his  father  from  Otaheite.  The  ingenuous 
manner  in  which  he  answered  all  questions  put  to 
him,  and  his  whole  deportment,  created  a  lively  in- 
terest among  the  officers  of  the  ship,  who,  while  they 
admired,  could  not  but  regard  him  with  feelings  of 
tenderness  and  compassion;  his  manner,  too,  of 
speaking  English  was  exceedingly  pleasing,  and 
correct  botlf  in  grammar  and  pronunciation.  His 
companion  was  a  fine  handsome  youth  of  seventeen 
or  eighteen  years  of  age,  of  the  name  of  George 
Young,  son  of  Young  the  midshipman. 

If  the  astonishment  of  the  two  captains  was  great 
on  making,  as  they  thought,  this  first  and  extraor- 
dinary discovery  of  a  people  who  had  been  so  long 
forgotten,  and  in  hearing  the  offspring  of  these  of- 
fenders speaking  their  language  correctly,  their  sur- 
prise and  interest  were  still  more  highly  excited 
when,  on  Sir  Thomas  Staines  taking  the  t\vo  youths 
below,  and  setting  before  tliem  something  to  eat, 
they  both  rose  up,  and  one  of  them,  placing  his 
hands  together  in  a  posture  of  devotion,  pronounced, 
distinctly  and  with  emphasis,  in  a  pleasing  tone  of 
voice,  the  words,  "  For  what  we  a'-.-  going  to  receive 
the  Lord  make  us  truly  thankfui  " 

The  youths  were  themselves  gieatly  surprised  at 
the  sight  of  so  many  novel  objects — the  size  of  the 
ship — of  the  guns,  and  every  thing  around  them. 
Observing  a  cow,  they  were  at  "first  somewhat 
alarmed,  and  expressed  a  doubt  whether  it  was  a 
huge  goat  or  a  horned  hog,  these  being  the  only 
two  species  of  quadrupeds  they  had  ever  seen.  A 
little  dog  amused  them  much.  "  Oh !  what  a  pretty 
Uttle  thing  it  is  !"  exclaimed  Young.  "  I  know  it  is 
a  dog,  for  I  have  heard  of  such  an  animal." 

These  young  men  informed  the  two  captains  of 
many  singuhtr  events  that  had  taken  [)lace  among 


252  PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND. 

the  first  settlers,  but  referred  them  for  further  par- 
ticulars to  an  old  man  on  shore,  whose  name,  they 
said,  was  John  Adams,  the  only  surviving  English- 
man that  came  away  in  the  Bounty,  at  which  time 
he  was  called  Alexander  Smith. 

This  information  induced  the  two  captains  to  go 
on  shore,  desirous  of  learning  correctly  from  this 
old  man  the  fate,  not  only  of  Christian,  but  of  the 
rest  of  his  deluded  accomplices,  who  had  adhered 
to  his  fortunes.  The  landing  they  found  to  be  diffi- 
cult, and  not  wholly  free  from  danger*  but,  with  the 
assistance  of  their  two  able  conductors,  they  passed 
the  surf  among  many  rocks,  and  reached  the  shore 
without  any  other  inconvenience  than  a  complete 
wetting.  Old  Adams,  having  ascertained  that  the 
two  officers  alone  had  landed,  and  without  arms, 
concluded  they  had  no  intention  to  take  him  prisoner, 
and  ventured  to  come  down  to  the  beach,  from 
whence  he  conducted  them  to  his  house.  He  was 
accompanied  by  his  wife,  a  very  old  woman,  and 
nearly  blind.  It  seems  they  were  both  at  first  con- 
siderably alarmed  ;  the  sight  of  the  king's  uniform, 
after  so  many  years,  having  no  doubt  brought  fresh 
to  the  recollection  of  Adams  the  scene  that  occurred 
in  the  Bounty,  in  which  he  bore  so  conspicuous  a 
part.  Sir  Thomas  Staines,  however,  to  set  his 
mind  at  ease,  assured  him,  that  so  far  from  having 
come  to  the  island  with  any  intention  to  take  him 
away,  th'^y  were  not  even  aware  that  such  a  person 
as  himself  existed.  Captain  Pipon  observes,  "  that 
although  in  the  eye  of  the  law  they  could  only  con 
sider  him  in  the  light  of  a  criminal  of  the  deepest 
die,  yet  that  it  would  have  been  an  act  of  the 
greatest  cruelty  and  inhumanity  to  have  taken  him 
away  from  his  little  family,  who  in  such  a  case 
would  have  been  left  to  experience  the  greatest 
misery  and  distress,  and  ultimately,  in  all  probability, 
would  have  perished  of  want. 

Adams,  however,  pretended  that  he  had  no  great 


PrrCAlRN's   ISLAND.  253 

share  in  the  mutiny  :  said  that  he  was  sick  in  hed 
when  it  broke  out,  and  was  afterwards  compelled  to 
take  a  musket  in  his  hand  ;  and  expressed  his  readi- 
ness to  go  in  one  of  the  ships  to  England,  and  seemed 
rather  desirous  to  do  so.  On  this  being  made  known 
to  the  members  of  the  little  society,  a  scene  of  con- 
siderable distress  was  witnessed  ;  his  daughter,  a  fine 
young  woman,  threw  her  arms  about  his  neck,  en- 
treating him  not  to  think  of  leaving  them  and  all  his 
little  children  to  perish.  All  the  women  burst  into 
tears,  and  the  young  men  stood  motionless  and  ab- 
sorbed in  grief;  but  on  their  being  assured  that  he 
should,  on  no  account,  be  molested,  "It  is  impos- 
sible," says  Captain  Pipon,  "to  describe  the  uni- 
versal joy  that  these  poor  people  manifested,  and 
the  gratitude  they  expressed  for  the  kindness  and 
consideration  shown  him." 

They  now  learned  from  Adams,  that  Fletcher 
Christian,  on  finding  no  good  anchorage  close  to  the 
island,  and  the  Bounty  being  too  v/eakly  manned 
again  to  intrust  themselves  in  her  at  sea,  determined 
to  run  her  into  a  small  creek  against  the  cliff,  in 
order  the  more  conveniently  to  get  out  of  her  such 
articles  as  might  be  of  use  or  necessary  for  forming 
an  establishment  on  the  island,  and  to  land  the  hogs, 
goats,  and  poultry  which  the}^  had  brought  from 
Otaheite  :  and  having  accomplished  this  point,  he 
ordered  her  to  be  set  on  fire,  with  the  view,  probably, 
of  preventing  any  escape  from  the  island,  and  also 
to  removi3  an  object,  that,  if  seen,  might  excite  the 
curiosity  of  some  passing  vessel,  and  thus  be  the 
means  of  discov^ering  his  retreat.  His  plan  suc- 
ceeded, and,  by  Adams's  account,  everything  went 
on  smoothly  for  a  short  time  ;  but  it  was  clear 
enough  that  this  misguided  and  ill-fated  3"0ung  man 
was  never  happy  after  the  rash  and  criminal  step 
he  had  taken  ;  that  he  was  always  sullen  and  morose, 
and  committed  so  many  acts  of  wanton  oppression 
as  very  soon  incurred  the  hatred  and  detestation  of 

u 


i54  PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND. 

his  companions  in  crime,  over  whom  he  practised 
that  same  overbearing  conduct  of  which  he  accused 
his  commander  Bligh.  The  object  he  had  in  view- 
when  he  last  left  Otaheite  had  now  been  accom- 
plished; he  had  discovered  an  uninhabited  island 
out  of  the  common  track  of  ships,  and  estabushed 
himself  and  his  associates ;  so  far  there  was  a  chance 
that  he  had  escaped  all  pursuit ;  but  there  was  no 
escaping  from 

"Those  nxls  of  scorpions  and  those  whips  of  steel 
Which  conscience  shakes." 

The  fate  of  this  misguided  young  man,  brought  on 
by  his  ill  treatment  both  of  his  associates  and  the 
Indians  he  had  carried  off  with  him,  was  such  as 
might  be  expected — he  was  shot  by  an  Otaheitan 
while  digging  in  his  field,  about  eleven  months  after 
they  had  settled  on  tlie  island,  and  his  death  was 
only  the  commencement  of  feuds  and  assassina- 
tions, which  ended  in  the  total  destruction  of  the 
whole  party  except  Adams  and  Young.  By  the 
account  of  the  former,  the  settlers  from  this  time 
became  divided  into  two  parties,  and  their  grievances 
and  quarrels  proceeded  to  such  a  height,  that  each 
took  every  opportunity  of  putting  the  other  to  death. 
Old  John  Adams  was  himself  shot  through  the  neck, 
but  the  ball  having  entered  the  fleshy  part  only,  he 
was  enabled  to  make  his  escape  and  avoid  the  fury 
of  his  assailants.  The  immediate  cause  of  Chris- 
tian's murder  was  his  having  forcibly  seized  on  the 
wife  of  one  of  the  Otaheite  men,  which  so  exaspe- 
rated the  rest  that  they  not  only  sought  the  life  of 
the  offender,  but  of  others  also  who  might,  as  they 
thought,  be  disposed  to  pursue  the  same  course. 

This  interesting  little  colony  was  now  found  to 
contain  about  forty-six  persons,  mostly  grown-up 
young  people,  with  a  few  infants.  The  young  men, 
all  born  on  the  island,  were  finely  formed,  athletic, 
and  handsome — their  countenances  open  and  pleas- 


pitcairn's  island.  255 

ing,  indicating-  much  benevolence  and  goodness  of 
heart;  but  the  young  women  particularly  were 
objects  of  attraction,  being  tall,  robust,  and  beauti- 
fully formed,  their  faces  beaming  with  smiles  and 
indicating  unruffled  good-humour ;  while  their  man- 
ners and  demeanour  exhibited  a  degree  of  modestj 
and  bashfulness  that  would  have  done  honour  to  the 
most  virtuous  and  enlightened  people  on  earth. 
Their  teeth  are  described  as  beautifully  white,  like 
the  finest  ivory,  and  perfectly  regular,  without  a 
single  exception;  and  all  of  them,  both  male  and 
female,  had  the  marked  expression  of  English  fea- 
tures, though  not  exactly  the  clear  red  and  white 
that  distinguish  English  skins,  theirs  being  the  colour 
of  what  we  call  brmiette.  Captain  Pipon  thinks 
that  from  such  a  race  of  people,  consisting  of  fine 
young  men  and  handsome  well-formed  women,  there 
may  be  expected  to  arise  hereafter,  in  this  little 
colony,  a  race  of  people  possessing  in  a  high 
degree  the  physical  qualifications  of  great  strength, 
united  with  symmetry  of  form  and  regularity  of 
feature. 

But  their  personal  qualifications,  attractive  as 
they  v/ere,  excited  less  admiration  than  the  account 
which  Adams  gave  of  their  virtuous  conduct.  He 
assured  his  visiters  that  not  one  instance  of  debauch- 
ery or  immoral  conduct  had  occurred  among  these 
young  people  since  their  settlement  on  the  island; 
nor  did  he  ever  hear  or  believe  that  any  one  instance 
had  occurred  of  a  young  woman  having  suffered  inde- 
cent liberties  to  be  taken  with  her.  Their  native  mod- 
esty, assisted  by  the  precepts  of  religion  and  morality 
instilled  into  their  young  minds  by  John  Adams,  had 
hitherto  preserved  these  interesting  people  from 
every  kind  of  debauchery.  The  young  women  told 
Captain  Pipon,  with  great  simplicity,  that  they  were 
not  married,  and  that  their  father,  as  they  called 
Adams,  had  told  them  it  was  right  they  should 
wait  with  patience  till  they  had  acquired  sufficient 


256  pitcairn's  island. 

property  to  bring  up  a  young  family  before  they 
thought  of  marrying ;  and  that  they  always  followed 
his  advice,  because  they  knew  it  to  be  good. 

It  appeared  that  from  the  time  when  Adams  was 
left  alone  on  the  island,  the  sole  survivor  of  all  tlie 
males  that  had  landed  from  the  Bounty,  European 
and  Otaheitan,  the  greatest  harmony  had  prevailed 
in  their  little  society;  they  all  declared  that  no 
serious  quarrels  ever  occurred  among  them,  though 
a  few  hasty  words  might  now  and  then  be  uttered ; 
but,  to  make  use  of  their  own  expression,  they  were 
only  quarrels  of  the  mouth.  Adams  assured  his 
visiters  that  they  were  all  strictly  honest  in  all  their 
deaUngs,  lending  or  exchanging  their  various  articles 
of  livestock  or  produce  with  each  other  in  the  most 
friendly  manner ;  and  if  any  little  dispute  occurred, 
he  never  found  any  difficulty  to  rectify  the  mistake 
or  misunderstanding  that  might  have  caused  it,  to 
the  satisfaction  of  both  parties.  In  their  general 
intercourse  they  speak  the  English  language  com- 
monly; and  even  the  old  Otaheitan  women  have 
picked  up  a  good  deal  of  this  language.  The  young 
people,  both  male  and  female,  speak  it  with  a 
pleasing  accent,  and  their  voices  are  extremely  har- 
monious. 

The  little  village  of  Pitcairn  is  described  as  form- 
ing a  pretty  square  ;  the  house  of  John  Adams,  with 
its  out-houses,  occupying  the  upper  corner,  near  a 
large  banyan-tree,  and  that  of  Thursday  October 
Christian  the  lower  corner  opposite  to  it.  The 
centre  space  is  a  fine  open  lawn,  where  the  poultry 
wander,  and  is  fenced  around  so  as  to  prevent  the 
intrusion  of  the  hogs  and  goats.  It  was  obviously 
visible,  from  the  manner  in  which  the  grounds  were 
laid  out  and  the  plantations  formed,  that  in  this 
little  establishment  the  labour  and  ingenuity  of 
European  hands  had  been  employed.  In  their  houses 
they  have  a  good  deal  of  decent" furniture,  consisting 
of  beds  and  bedst-feads  with  coverings.     They  have 


pitcairn's  island.  257 

also  tables  and  large  chests  for  their  clothing-;  and 
their  linen  is  made  from  the  bark  of  a  certain  tree, 
and  the  manufacture  of  it  is  the  employment  of  the 
elderly  portion  of  the  women.  The  bark  is  first 
soaked,  then  beaten  with  square  pieces  of  wood  of 
the  breadth  of  one's  band,  hollowed  out  into  grooves, 
and  the  labour  is  continued  until  it  is  brought  to 
the  breadth  required,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
process  is  conducted  in  Otaheite. 

The  younger  part  of  the  females  are  obliged  to 
attend,  with  old  Adams  and  their  brothers,  to  the 
culture  of  the  land ;  and  Captain  Pipon  thinks  this 
may  be  one  reason  why  this  old  director  of  the 
work  does  not  countenance  too  early  marriages,  for, 
as  he  very  properly  observed,  when  once  they  be- 
come mothers  they  are  less  capable  of  hard  labour, 
being  obliged  to  attend  to  their  children ;  and,  judg- 
ing from  appearance,  "  one  may  conclude,"  says  the 
captain,  "they  would  be  prolific;"  that  "he  did  not 
see  how  it  could  be  otherwise,  considering  the  regu- 
larity of  their  lives,  their  simple  and  excellent  though 
abstemious  mode  of  living,  their  meals  consisting 
chiefly  of  a  vegetable  diet,  with  now  and  then  good 
pork,  and  occasionally  fish." 

The  young  girls,  although  they  have  only  the 
example  of  their  Otaheitan  mothers  to  follow  in 
their  dress,  are  modestly  clothed,  having  generally 
apiece  of  cloth  of  their  own  manufacture  reaching 
from  the  waist  to  the  knees,  and  a  mantle,  or  some- 
thing of  that  nature,  thrown  loosely  over  the  shoul- 
ders, and  hanging  sometimes  as  low  as  the  ankles  : 
this  mantle,  however,  is  frequently  thrown  aside, 
being  used  rather  as  a  shelter  for  their  bodies  from 
the  heat  of  the  sun  or  the  severity  of  the  weather, 
than  for  the  sake  of  attaching  any  idea  of  modesty 
to  the  upper  part  of  the  person  being  uncovered ; 
and  it  is  not  possible,  he  says,  to  behold  finer  forms 
thai  are  exhibited  by  this  partial  exposure.  Cap- 
tern  Pipon  observes,  "  it  was  pleasing  to  see  the 


258  pitcairn's  island. 

.^ood  taste  and  quickness  with  which  they  form 
httle  shades  or  parasols  of  green  leaves,  to  place 
over  the  head  or  bonnets  to  keep  the  sun  from  their 
eyes.  A  young  girl  made  one  of  these  in  my  pres- 
ence, with  such  neatness  and  alacrity  as  to  satisfy 
me  that  a  fashionable  dressmaker  of  London  would 
be  delighted  with  the  simphcity  and  elegant  taste 
of  these  untaught  females."  The  same  young  girl, 
he  says,  accompanied  them  to  the  boat,  carrying  on 
her  shoulders,  as  a  present,  a  large  basket  of  yams, 
"  over  such  roads  and  down  such  precipices  as  were 
scarcely  passable  by  any  creatures  except  goats, 
and  over  which  we  could  scarcely  scramble  with  the' 
help  of  our  hands.  Yet  with  this  load  on  her  shoul- 
ders she  skipped  from  rock  to  rock  like  a  young 
roe." 

"  But,"  says  Captain  Pipon,  "  what  delighted  us 
most  was  the  conviction  which  John  Adams  had 
impressed  on  the  minds  of  these  young  people,  of 
the  propriety  and  necessity  of  returning  thanks  to 
the  Almighty  for  the  many  blessings  they  enjoy. 
They  never  omit  saying  grace  before  and  after 
meals,  and  never  think  of  touching  food  without 
asking  a  blessing  from  Him  who  gave  it.  The  Lord's 
Prayer  and  the  Creed  they  repeat  morning  and 
evening." 

Captain  Pipon  imagines  the  island  to  be  about  six 
miles  long  and  perhaps  three  or  four  miles  broad, 
covered  with  wood;  the  soil  apparently  very  rich, 
and  the  variety  of  products  great  and  valuable,  but 
much  labour  would  seem  to  be  required  to  clear  away 
the  woods.  The  dimensions  here  given,  however, 
are  much  greater  than  they  have  subsequently  been 
found  to  be. 

The  visiters  having  supplied  these  pooi  people 
with  some  tools,  kettles,  and  other  articles,  such  as 
the  high  surf  would  allow  them,wath  the  assistance 
of  the  natives,  to  land,  but  to  no  great  extent,  the 
two  officers  again  passed  through  the  surf,  with  the 


PITCAIRN*S    ISLAND.  259 

same  assistance,  and  took  leave  of  these  interesting 
people — satisfied  that  the  island  is  so  well  fortified 
by  nature  as  to  oppose  an  invincible  barrier  to  an 
invading  enemy ;  that  there  was  no  spot  apparently 
where  a  boat  cmild  land  with  safety,  and  perhaps 
not  more  than  one  wdiere  it  could  land  at  all;  an 
everlasting  swell  of  the  ocean,  rolling  in  on  every 
side,  is  dashed  into  foam  against  its  rocky  and  iron- 
bound  shores* 

Such  were  the  first  details  that  were  received 
respecting  this  young  settlement.  It  may  here  be 
remarked,  that  at  the  time  when  Folger  visited  the 
island  Alexander  Smith  went  by  his  proper  name, 
and  that  he  had  changed  it  to  John  Adams  in  the 
intennediate  time  between  his  visit  and  that  of  Sir 
Thomas  Staines;  but  it  does  not  appear  in  any  of 
the  accounts  which  have  been  given  of  this  inter- 
esting little  colony,  when  or  for  what  reason  he 
assumed  the  latter  name.  It  could  not  be  with  any 
view  to  concealment,  for  he  freel)'-  communicated 
his  history  to  Folger,  and  equally  «o  to  every  subse- 
quent visiter. 

The  interesting  account  of  Captains  Sir  Thomas 
Staines  and  Pipon,  in  1814,  produced  as  little  effect 
on  the  government  as  that  of  Folger ;  and  nothing 
more  was  heard  of  Adams  and  his  family  for  twelve 
years  nearly,  when,  in  1825,  Captain  Beechey,  in  the 
Blossom,  bound  on  a  voyage  of  discovery,  paid  a 
visit  to  Pitcairn's  Island.  Some  whale-fishing  ship, 
however,  had  touched  there  in  the  intermediate 
time,  and  left  on  the  island  a  person  of  the  name  of 
John  Buffet.  "  In  this  man,"  says  Captain  Beechey, 
*"  they  have  very  fortunately  found  an  able  and  will- 
ing schoolmaster ;  he  had  belonged  to  a  ship  which 
visited  the  island,  and  was  so  infatuated  with  the 
behaviour  of  the  people,  being  himself  naturally  of 
a  devout  and  serious  turn  of  mind,  that  he  resolved 
to  remain  among  them;  and,  in  addition  to  the 
instruction  of  the  childreUf  has  taken  upon  himself 


260  pitcairn's  island. 

the  duty  of  clergyman,  and  is  the  oracle  of  tlie  com- 
munity." 

On  the  approach  of  the  Blossom  towards  the 
island,  a  boat  was  observed,  under  all  sail,  hastening 
towards  the  ship,  which  they  considered  to  be  the 
boat  of  some  whaler,  but  were  soon  agreeably  un- 
deceived by  the  singular  appearance  of  her  crew, 
which  consisted  of  old  Adams  and  many  of  the  young 
men  belonging  to  the  island.  They  did  not  venture 
at  once  to  lay  hold  of  the  ship  till  they  had  first 
inquired  if  they  might  come  on  board ;  and  on  per- 
mission being  granted,  they  spnmg  up  the  side  and 
shook  every  officer  by  the  hand  with  undisguised 
feelings  of  gratification. 

The  activity  of  the  young-  men,  ten  in  number, 
outstripped  that  of  old  Adams,  wiio  was  in  his  sixty- 
fifth  year,  and  somewhat  corpulent.  He  was  dressed 
in  a  sailor'^s  sliirt  and  trousers  and  a  low-crowned 
hat,  which  he  held  in  his  hand  until  desired  to  put 
it  on.  He  still  retained  his  sailor's  manners,  dof- 
fing his  hat  and  smoothing  down  his  bald  forehead 
whenever  he  was  addressed  by  the  officers  of  the 
Blossom. 

The  young  men  were  tall,  robust,  and  healthy, 
with  good-natured  countenances,  and  a  simplicity 
of  manner,  and  a  fear  of  doing  something  that 
might  be  wrong,  which  at  once  prevented  the  pos- 
sibility of  giving  oflfence.  Their  dresses  were 
whim-sical  enough;  some  had  long  coats  without 
trousers,  and  others  trousers  without  coats,  and 
others  again  waistcoats  without  either.  None  of 
them  had  either  shoes  or  stockings,  and  there  were 
only  two  hats  among  them,  "neither  of  which," 
Captain  Beechey  says,  "  seemed  likely  to  hang  long 
together." 

Captain  Beechey  procured  from  Adams  a  narra- 
tive of  the  whole  transaction  of  the  mutiny,  which, 
however,  is  incorrect  in  many  parts ;  and  also  a  his- 
tory of  the  broils  and  disputes  which  led  to  the  via* 


FITcairn's  island.  261 

lent  death  of  all  those  misguided  men  (with  the 
exception  of  Young  and  Adams)  who  accompanied 
Christian  in  the  Bounty  to  Pitcairn's  Island. 

It  may  be  recollected  that  the  Bounty  was  carried 
away  from  Otaheite  by  nine  of  the  mutineers.  Their 
names  were 

1.  Fletcher  Christian,  Acting  Lieutenant, 

2.  Edward  young,  Midshipman. 

3.  Alexander  Smith  {alias  John  Adams),  Seaman. 

4.  William  M-Koy,     \ 

5.  Matthew  Quintal,  f  geamen 

6.  John  Williams,      (  ''eamen. 

7.  Isaac  Martin,         ) 

8.  John  Mills,  Gunner's  Mate. 

9.  William  Brown,  Botanist's  Assistant. 

They  brought  with  them  six  men  and  twelve 
women,  natives  of  Tabouai  and  Otaheite.  The  first 
step  after  their  arrival  was  to  divide  the  whole  island 
into  nine  equal  portions,  to  the  exclusion  of  those 
poor  people  whom  they  had  seduced  to  accompany 
them,  and  some  of  whom  are  stated  to  have  been 
carried  off  against  their  inclination.  At  first  they 
were  considered  as  the  friends  of  the  white  men, 
but  very  soon  became  their  slaves.  They  assisted 
in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  in  building  houses,  and 
in  fetching  wood  and  water,  without  murmuring  or 
complaining;  and  things  went  on  peaceably  and 
prosperously. for  about  two  years,  when  Wilhams, 
who  had  lost  his  wife  about  a  month  after  their 
arrival,  by  a  fall  from  a  rock  while  collecting  birds' 
eggs,  became  dissatisfied,  and  insisted  on  having 
another  wife,  or  threatened  to  leave  the  island  in 
one  of  the  Bounty's  boats.  Being  useful  as  an 
armourer,  the  Europeans  were  unwilling  to  part 
with  him,  and  he,  still  persisting  in  his  unreasonable 
demand,  had  the  injustice  to  g3mpel  one  of  the  Ota- 
heitans  to  give  up  his  wife  to  him. 

By  this  act  of  flagrant  oppression  his  countr}'men 
made  common  cause  with  their  injured  companion, 
and  laid  a  plan  for  the  extermination  of  the  Euro- 


262  pitcairn's  island. 

peans;  but  the  women  gave  a  hint  of  what  was 
going  forward  in  a  song,  the  burden  of  which  was, 
"  Why  does  black  man  sharpen  axe? — to  kill  white 
man."  The  plot  being  thus  discovered,  the  hus- 
band who  had  his  wife  taken  from  him,  and  another 
whom  Christian  had  shot  at  (though,  it  is  stated, 
with  powder  only),  fled  into  the  woods,  and  were 
treacherously  murdered  by  their  countrymen  on  the 
promise  of  pardon  for  the  perpetration  of  this  foul 
deed. 

Tranquillity  being  thus  restored,  matters  went  on 
tolerably  well  for  a  year  or  two  longer;  but  the 
oppression  and  ill  treatment  which  the  Otaheitans 
received,  more  particularly  from  Quintal  and  M'Koy, 
the  most  active  and  determined  of  the  mutineers, 
drove  them  to  the  formation  of  another  plot  for  the 
destruction  of  their  oppressors,  which  but  too  sue 
cessfully  succeeded.  A  day  was  fixed  for  attacking 
and  putting  to  death  all  the  Englishmen  while  at 
work  in  their  respective  plantations.  Williams  was 
the  first  man  that  was  shot.  They  next  proceeded 
to  Christian,  who  was  working  at  his  yam-plot,  and 
shot  him.  Mills,  confiding  in  the  fidelity  of  his 
Otaheitan  friend,  stood  his  ground,  and  was  mur- 
dered by  him  and  another.  Martin  and  Brown  were 
separately  attacked  and  slain,  one  with  a  maul,  the 
other  with  a  nmsket.  Adams  was  wounded  in  the 
shoulder,  but  succeeded  in  making  terms-  with  the 
Otaheitans,  and  was  conducted  by  them  to  Christian's 
house,  w^here  he  was  kindly  treated.  Young,  who 
was  a  great  favourite  of  the  women,  was  secreted 
by  them  during  the  attack,  and  afterward  carried 
to  Christian's  house.  M'Koy  and  Quintal,  the  worst 
of  the  gang,  escaped  to  the  mountains.  ''  Here," 
says  Captain  Beecjjey,  "  this  day  of  bloodshed 
ended,  leaving  only  four  Englishmen  alive  out  of 
nine.  It  was  a  day  of  emancipation  to  the  blacks, 
who  were  now  masters  of  the  island,  and  of  humilia- 
tion and  retribution  to  the  whites." 


pitcairn's  island.  263 

The  men  of  colour  now  began  to  quarrel  about 
choosing  the  women  whose  European  husbands  had 
been  murdered ;  the  result  of  which  was  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  whole  of  the  former,  some  falling  by  the 
handsofthewomen,  and  one  of  them  by  Young,  who, 
it  would  seem,  coolly  and  deliberately  shot  him. 
Adams  now  proceeded  into  the  mountains  to  com- 
municate the  fatal  intelligence  to  the  two  Euro- 
peans, M'Koy  and  Quintal,  and  to  solicit  their  return 
to  the  village.  All  these  events  are  stated  to  have 
happened  as  early  as  October,  1793. 

From  this  time  to  1798  the  renmant  of  the  colo- 
nists would  appear  to  have  gone  on  quietly,  with 
the  exception  of  some  quarrels  thes^  four  men  had 
witli  the  women,  and  the  latter  among  themselves; 
ten  of  them  were  still  remaining,  who  lived  promis- 
cuously with  the  men,  frequently  changing  their 
abode  from  one  house  to  another.  Young,  being  a 
man  of  some  education,  kept  a  kind  of  journal ;  but 
it  is  a  document  of  very  little  interest,  containing 
scarcely  any  thing  more  than  the  ordinary  occupa- 
tions of  the  settlers,  the  loan  or  exchange  of  pro- 
visions, the  dates  when  the  sows  farrowed,  the  num- 
ber of  tish  caught,  &c.,  and  it  begins  only  at  the  time 
when  Adams  and  he  were  sole  masters  of  the  island ; 
and  the  truth,  therefore,  of  all  that  has  been  told 
rests  solely  on  the  degree  of  credit  that  is  due  to 
Adams. 

M'Koy,  it  appears,  had  formerly  been  employed 
m  a  Scotch  distillery,  and  being  much  addicted  to 
ardent  spirits,  s«t  about  making  experiments  on  the 
tee-root  {drac(2na  terminalis),  and  at  length  unfor- 
tunately succeeded  ni  producing  an  intoxicating 
liquor.  This  success  induced  his  companion  Quintal 
to  turn  his  kettle  into  a  still.  The  consequence 
was,  that  these  two  men  were  in  a  constant  state 
of  drunkenness,  particularly  M'Koy ;  on  whom,  it 
seems,  it  had  the  effect  of  producing  fits  of  delirium ; 
and  in  one  of  these  he  threw  himself  from  a  cliff  and 


264  pitcairn's  island. 

was  killed  on  the  spot.  Captain  Beechey  says,  "  the 
melancholy  fate  of  this  man  created  so  forcible  an 
impression  on  the  remaining-  few,  that  they  resolved 
never  again  to  touch  spirits ;  and  Adams  has,  I  be- 
lieve, to  this  day  kept  his  vow." 

Some  time  in  the  following  year,  that  is,  about 
1799,  "  we  learned  from  Adams,"  says  Captain 
Beechey,  "  that  Quintal  lost  his  wife  by  a  fall  from 
the  cliff,  Avhile  in  search  of  birds'  eggs ;  that  he 
grew  discontented,  and,  though  there  were  several 
disposable  women  on  the  island,  and  he  had  already 
experienced  the  fatal  effects  of  a  similar  demand, 
nothing  would  satisfy  him  but  the  wife  of  one  of  his 
companions.  •  Of  course  neither  of  them  felt  inchned 
to  accede  to  this  unreasonable  demand ;  and  he 
sought  an  opportunity  of  putting  them  both  to  death. 
He  was  fortunately  foiled  in  his  first  attempt,  but 
swore  openly  he  would  speedily  repeat  it.  Adams 
and  Young,  having  no  doubt  he  would  follow  up  his 
intention,  and  fearing  he  might  be  more  successful 
in  the  next  attempt,  came  to  the  resolution  that,  as 
their  own  lives  were  not  safe  while  he  was  in  exist- 
ence, they  were  justified  in  putting  him  to  death, 
which  they  did  by  felling  him,  as  they  would  an  ox, 
with  a  hatchet. 

"  Such  was  the  melancholy  fate  of  seven  of  the 
leading  mutineers,  who  escaped  from  justice  only  to 
add  murder  to  their  former  crimes;"  and  such,  it 
may  be  added,  was  the  polluted  source,  thus  stained 
with  the  guilt  of  mutiny,  piracy,  and  murder,  from 
which  the  present  simple  and  ^inocent  race  of 
islanders  has  proceeded ;  and,  what  is  most  of  all 
extraordinary,  the  very  man  from  whom  they  have 
received  their  moral  and  religious  instruction  is  one 
who  was  among  the  first  and  foremost  in  the  mu- 
tiny, and  deeply  implicated  in  all  the  deplorable  con- 
sequences that  were  the  results  of  it.  This  man 
and  Young  were  now  the  sole  survivors  out  of  the 
fifteen   males  that  had  landed  upon    the    island. 


pitcairn's  island.  265 

Young,  as  has  been  stated,  was  a  man  of  some  edu- 
cation, and  of  a  serious  turn  of  mind ;  and,  as 
Beechey  siays,  it  would  have  been  wonderful,  after 
the  many  dreadful  scenes  at  which  they  had  assisted, 
if  the  solitude  and  tranquillity  that  ensued  had  not 
disposed  them  to  repentance.  They  had  a  Bible  and 
a  Prayer  Book,  which  were  found  in  the  Bounty, 
and  they  read  the  church  service  regularly  every 
Sunday.  They  now  resolved  to  have  morning  and 
evening  family  prayers,  and  to  instruct  the  children, 
who  amounted  to  nineteen,  many  of  them  between 
the  ages  of  seven  and  nine  years.  Young,  however, 
was  not  long  suffered  to  survive  his  repentance.  An 
asthmatic  complaint  terminated  his  existence  about 
a  year  after  the  death  of  Quintal ;  and  Adams  was 
now  left  the  sole  survivor  of  the  guilty  and  mis- 
guided mutineers  of  the  Bounty,  It  is  remarkable 
that  the  name  of  Young  should  never  once  occur  in 
any  shape  as  connected  with  the  mutiny,  except  in 
the  evidence  of  Lieutenant  Hay  ward,  who  includes 
his  name  in  a  mass  of  others.  He  neither  appears 
among  the  armed  nor  the  unarmed  ;  he  is  not  stated 
to  be  among  those  who  were  on  deck,  and  was 
probably  therefore  one  of  those  who  were  confined 
below.  Bligh,  nevertheless,  has  not  omitted  to  give 
him  a  character.  "  Young  was  an  able  and  stout 
seaman  ;  he  however,  always  proved  a  worthless 
wretch." 

If  the  sincere  repentance  of  Adams,  and  the  most 
successful  exertions  to  train  up  the  rising  generation 
in  piety  and  virtue,  can  be  considered  as  expiating 
in  some  degree  his  former  offences,  this  survivor  is 
fully  entitled  to  eveiy  indulgence  that  frail  humanity 
so  often  requires,  and  w^hich  indeed  has  been  ex- 
tended to  him  by  all  the  officers  of  the  navy  who 
have  visited  the  island,  and  witnessed  the  simple 
manners  and  the  settled  habits  of  morality  and  piety 
which  prevail  in  this  happy  and  well-regulated  so- 
ciety.    They  have  all  strongly  felt  that  the  merits 


566  PITCAIRN  S    ISLAND. 

ind  redeeming  qualities  of  the  latter  years  of  his  life 
uave  so  far  atoned  for  his  former  guilt,  that  he  ought 
aot  to  be  molested,  but  rather  encouraged,  in  his 
meritorious  efforts,  if  not  for  his  own  sake,  at  least 
for  that  of  the  innocent  young  people  dependent 
on  him. 

Still  it  ought  never  to  be  forgotten  that  he  was 
one  of  the  first  and  most  daring  in  the  atrocious  act 
of  mutin)^  and  piracy,  and  that  had  he  remained  in 
Otaheite,  and  been  taken  home  in  the  Pandora,  no- 
thing could  have  saved  him  from  an  ignominious 
death.  His  pretending  to  say  that  he  was  in  his  cot, 
and  that  he  Avas  forced  to  take  arms,  may  perhaps 
be  palliated  under  his  peculiar  circumstances,  wish- 
ing to  stand  as  fair  before  his  countrymen  as  his 
case  would  admit — but  it  is  not  strictly  true :  for  he 
was  the  third  upon  deck  armed,  and  stood  sentry 
over  Bligh  with  a  loaded  musket  and  fixed  bayonet. 
The  story  he  told  to  Beechey  respecting  the  advice 
stated  to  have  been  given  by  Mr.  Stewart  to  Chris- 
tian, "  to  take  possession  of  the  ship,"  is,  as  has 
been  shown,  wholly  false ;  but  here  his  memory 
may  have  failed  him.  If  any  such  advice  was  given, 
it  is  much  more  likely  to  have  proceeded  from 
Young.  He  also  told  two  different  stories  with  re- 
gard to  the  conduct  of  Christian.  To  Sir  Thomas 
Staines  and  Captain  Pipon  he  represented  this  ill- 
fated  young  man  as  never  happy  after  the  rash  and 
criminal  step  he  had  taken,  and  that  he  was  always 
sullen  and  morose,  and  committed  so  many  acts  of 
■jruelty  as  to  incur  the  hatred  and  detestation  of  his 
associates  in  crime.  Whereas  he  told  Captain 
Beechey  that  Christian  was  always  cheerful ;  that 
his  example  was  of  the  greatest  service  in  exciting 
his  companions  to  labour ;  that  he  was  naturally  of 
a  happy,  ingenuous  disposition,  and  won  the  good 
opinion  and  respect  of  all  who  served  under  him ; 
which  cannot  be  better  exemphfied,  he  says,  than  by 
Ills  maintaining  mider  circumstances  of  great  per- 


pitcairn's  island.  267 

plexity  the  respect  and  regard  of  all  who  were  asso- 
ciated with  him  up  to  the  hour  of  his  death  ;  and 
that  even  at  the  present  moment  Adams,  in  speak- 
ing of  him,  never  omits  to  say  Mr.  Christian.  Wliy 
indeed  should  he '?  Christian  was  a  gentleman  by 
birth,  and  an  officer  in  his  majesty's  service,  and  was 
of  course  always  so  addressed.  But  why  was  he 
murdered  witliin  two  yeai  s  (one  account  says  nine 
months)  after  the  party  reached  the  island  \  Cap- 
tain Beechey  has  answered  the  question — for  op- 
pression and  ill  treatment  of  the  Otaheitans.* 

That  Christian,  so  far  from  being  cheerful,  was, 
on  the  contrary,  always  uneasy  in  his  mind  about 
his  own  safety,  is  proved  by  his  having  selected  a 

*  As  the  manner  of  Christian's  death  has  been  differently  reported  to 
each  different  visiter  by  Adams,  'he  only  evidence  in  existence,  with  the 
exception  of  three  or  four  Otaheitan  women  and  a  few  infants,  some  sin- 
gular circumstances  may  here  be  mentioned  that  happened  at  home,  just 
at  the  time  of  Folger"s  visit,  and  which  might  render  his  death  on  Pit 
cairn's  Island  almost  a  matter  of  doubt. 

About  the  years  1808  and  1809  a  very  general  opinion  was  prevalent  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  lakes  of  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland,  that 
Christian  was  in  that  part  of  the  country,  and  made  frequent  private 
visits  to  an  aunt  who  was  living  there.  Being  the  near  relative  of  Mr. 
Christian  Curwen,  long  member  of  parliament  for  Carlisle,  and  himself 
a  native,  he  was  well  known  in  the  neighbourhood.  This,  however, 
might  be  passed  over  as  mere  gossip,  had  not  another  circumstance  hap- 
pened just  about  the  same  time,  for  the  truth  of  which  the  editor  does 
not  hesitate  to  avouch. 

In  Fore-street,  Plymouth  Dock,  Captain  Heywood  found  himself  one 
day  walking  beiiind  a  man  whose  shape  had  so  much  the  appearance  of 
Christian's  that  he  involuntarily  quickened  his  pace.  Both  were  walk- 
ing very  fast,  and  the  rapid  steps  behind  him  having  roused  the  stran- 
ger's attention,  he  suddenly  turned  his  face,  looked  at  Heywood,  and 
immediately  ran  off".  But  the  face  was  as  much  like  Christian's  as  the 
back,  and  Heywood,  exceedingly  excited,  ran  also.  Both  ran  as  fast  as 
they  were  able,  but  the  stranger  had  the  advantage,  and  after  making 
several  short  turns  disappeared. 

That  Christian  should  be  in  England  Heywood  considered  as  highly 
improbable,  though  not  out  of  the  scojje  of  possibility ;  for  at  this  time 
no  account  of  him  whatsoever  had  been  received  since  they  parted  at 
Otaheite  ;  at  any  rate  the  resemblance,  the  agitation,  and  the  efforts  of 
the  stranger  to  elude  him  were  circumstances  too  strong  not  to  make, 
a  deep  impression  on  his  mind.  At  the  moment  his  first  thought  waa 
(o  set  about  making  some  further  inquiries,  but  on  recollection  of  the 
pain  and  trouble  such  a  discovery  must  occasion  him,  he  considered  it 
more  prudent  to  let  the  matter  drop ;  but  the  circumstance  was  fre 
quently  called  to  his  memory  for  the  remainder  of  his  life 


268  pitcairn's  island. 

cave  at  the  extremity  of  the  high  ridge  of  craggy 
hills  that  runs  across  the  island,  as  his  intended  place 
of  refuge  in  the  event  of  any  ship  of  war  discover- 
ing the  retreat  of  the  mutineers,  in  which  cave  he 
resolved  to  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as  he  could.  In 
this  recess  he  always  kept  a  store  of  provisions,  and 
near  it  erected  a  small  hut,  well  concealed  by  trees, 
which  served  the  purpose  of  a  watch-house'.  "  So 
difficult,"  says  Captain  Beechey,  "  was  the  approach 
to  this  cave,  that  even  if  a  party  were  successful  in 
crossing  the  ridge,  he  might  have  bid  defiance,  as 
long  as  his  ammunition  lasted,  to  any  force."  The 
reflection  alone  of  his  having  sent  adrift,  to  perish 
on  the  wide  ocean,  for  he  could  entertain  no  other 
idea,  no  less  than  nineteen  persons,  all  of  whom,  one 
only  excepted,  were  innocent  of  any  offence  towards 
him,  must  have  constantly  haunted  his  mind,  and 
left  him  little  disposed  to  be  happy  and  cheerful. 

The  truth  is,  as  appears  in  Morrison's  journal,  that 
during  the  short  time  they  remained  at  Tabouai,  and 
till  the  separation  of  the  mutineers  at  Otaheite,  when 
sixteen  forsook  him,  and  eight  only  of  the  very 
worst  accompanied  him  in  quest  of  some  retreat,  he 
acted  the  part  of  a  tyrant  to  a  much  greater  extent 
than  the  man  who,  he  says,  drove  him  to  the  act  of 
mutiny.  After  giving  an  account  of  the  manner  of 
his  death.  Captain  Beechey  says,  "  Thus  fell  a  man 
who  from  being  the  reputed  ringleader  of  the  mu- 
tiny has  obtained  an  unenviable  celebrity,  and  whose 
crime  may  perhaps  be  considered  as  in  some  degree 
palliated  by  the  tyranny  which  led  to  its  commis- 
sion." It  is  to  be  hoped,  such  an  act  as  he  was 
guilty  of  will  never  be  so  considered. 

If  mutiny  could  be  supposed  to  admit  of  paUiation, 
a  fatal  blow  would  be  struck,  not  only  at  the  dis- 
cipline, but  at  the  very  existence  of  the  navy;  any 
relaxation  in  bringing  to  condign  punishment  per- 
sons guilty  of  mutiny  would  weaken  and  ultimately 
destroy  the  efficiency  of  this  great  and  powerful  ma- 


pitcairn's  island,  269 

chine.  Nor,  indeed,  is  it  at  all  necessary  that  the 
puni-nment  for  mutiny  should  admit  of  any  pallia- 
lion.  Whenever  an  act  of  tyranny,  or  an  unneces- 
sary degree  of  severity,  is  exercised  by  a  command- 
ing officer,  let  the  fact  only  be  proved,  and  he  is 
certain  to  be  visited  with  all  the  rigour  that  the  de- 
gree of  his  oppressive  conduct  will  warrant.  Had 
Christian  but  waited  patiently  the  arrival  of  the 
Bounty  in  England,  and  the  alleged  conduct  of  Bligh 
towards  his  officers  and  crew  had  been  proved,  he 
would,  unquestionably,  have  been  dismissed  from  his 
majesty's  service. 

With  regard  to  Adams,  though  his  subsequent 
conduct  was  highly  meritorious,  and  to  him  alone  it 
might  be  said  is  owing  the  present  happy  state  of 
the  httle  community  on  Pitcairn's  Island,  his  crime, 
like  that  of  Christian's,  can  never  be  considered  as 
wiped  away.  Sir  Thomas  Staines,  the  first  British 
officer  who  called  at  the  island,  it  may  well  be  sup- 
posed, had  to  struggle  on  this  trying  occasion  be- 
tween duty  and  feehng.  It  was  his  imperative  duty 
to  have  seized  and  brought  him  a  prisoner  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  must  have  been  tried,  and  would  no 
doubt  have  been  convicted  of  a  crime  for  which 
several  of  his  less  active  accomplices  had  suffered 
the  penalty  of  death  ;  though  he  might,  and  probably 
would,  from  length  of  time  and  circumstances  in  his 
favour,  have  received  the  king's  pardon.  Perhaps, 
however,  on  the  whole,  it  was  fortunate  that  in 
balancing,  as  it  is  known  this  gallant  officer  did,  be- 
tween the  sense  of  duty  and  the  sense  of  feeling  the 
latter  prevailed,  and  justice  yielded  to  mercy.  Had 
a  Bligh  or  an  Edwards  been  placed  in  his  situation, 
it  IS  to  be  feared  that,  judging  from  their  former  con- 
duct, passion  in  the  one,  and  frigidity  in  the  other 
would  most  likely  have  consigned  the  criminal  to 
captivity  in  irons,  and  the  innocent  and  helpless 
lamily  solely  dependent  on  him  to  misery  and  de- 
struction; and  yet  in  so  doing  they  would  not  have 
X 


270  PITCAIRN  S    ISLAND. 

deviated  from  their  strict  line  of  duty, — Dis  aliter 
visum. 

The  Blossom  Avas  the  first  ship  of  war  that  John 
Adams  had  been  on  board  of  since  the  mutiny  ;  and, 
as  Captain  Beechey  observes,  his  mind  would  natu- 
rally revert  to  scenes  that  could  not  fail  to  produce 
a  temporary  embarrassment,  but  no  apprehension 
for  his  safety  appeared  to  form  any  part  of  his 
thoughts  ;  and  as  every  person  endeavoured  to  set 
his  mind  at  rest,  he  soon  found  himself  at  ease  and 
at  home.  It  was  several  hours  before  the  ship  ap- 
proached the  shore,  and  the  boats  put  off  before  she 
came  to  an  anchor. 

On  account  of  the  rocks  and  formidable  breakers, 
the  party  who  went  on  shore  were  landed  by  the 
young  men,  two  at  a  time,  in  their  whale-boat. 
"The  difficulty  of  landing,"  says  Captain  Beechey, 
«  was  more  than  repaid  by  the  friendly  reception  we 
met  with  on  the  beach  from  Hannah  Young,  a  very 
interesting  young  woman,  the  daughter  of  Adams. 
In  her  eagerness  to  greet  her  father,  she  had  outrun 
her  female  companions,  for  whose  delay  she  thought 
it  necessary  in  the  first  place  to  apologize,  by  say- 
ing they  had  all  been  over  the  hill  in  company  with 
John  Buffet,  to  look  at  the  ship,  and  were  not  yet 
returned.  It  appeared  that  John  Buffet,  who  was  a 
seafaring  man,  had  ascertained  that  the  ship  was  a 
man-of-war,  and,  without  knowing  exactly  why,  be- 
came so  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  Adams,  that  he 
either  could  not  or  would  not  answer  any  of  the  inter- 
rogatories which  were  put  to  him.  This  mysterious 
silence  set  all  the  party  in  tears,  as  they  feared  he 
had  discovered  something  adverse  to  their  patriarch. 
At  length  his  obduracy  yielded  to  their  entreaties ; 
but  before  he  explained  the  cause  of  his  conduct,  the 
boats  were  seen  to  put  off  from  the  ship,  and  Han- 
nah immediately  hurried  to  the  beach  to  kiss  the  old 
man's  cheek,  which  she  did  with  a  fervency  demon- 
strative  of  the  warmest  affection.     Her  apology  for 


pitcairn's  island.  271 

her  companions  was  rendered  nnnecessar)^  by  their 
appearance  on  the  steep  and  circuitous  path  down 
the  mountain,  who,  as  they  arrived  on  the  beach, 
successively  welcomed  us  to  their  island,  with  a  sim- 
plicity and  sincerity  which  left  no  doubt  of  the  truth 
of  their  professions."  . 

The  whole  group  simultaneously  expressed  a  wish 
that  the  visiters  would  stay  with  them  several  days; 
and  on  their  signifying  a  desire  to  get  to  the  village 
before  dark,  ar^d  to  pitch  the  observatorj'-,  every  ar- 
ticle and  instrument  found  a  bearer,  along  a  steep 
path  which  led  to  the  village,  concealed  by  groups 
of  cocoanut-trees ;  the  females  bearing  their  bur- 
thens over  the  most  difficult  parts  without  inconve- 
nience.    The  village  consisted  of  five  houses,  on  a 
cleared  piece  of  ground  sloping  towards  the   sea. 
While  the   men  assisted   in  pitching  the  tent,  the 
w-omen  employed  themselves  in  preparing  the  supper. 
The  mode  of  cooking  was  precisely  that  of  Otaheite, 
by  heated  stones  .n  a  hole  made  in  the  ground.     At 
youno-  Christian's  the  table  was  spread  with  plates, 
knives,  and  forks.     John  Buffet  said  grace  in  an  em- 
phatic manner,  and  this  is  repeated  every  time  a  fresh 
guest  sits  down  while   the  meal  is  going  on.     So 
strict  are  they  in  this  respect,  that  it  is  not  deemed 
proper  to  touch  a  bit  of  bread  without  saying  grace 
before  and  after  it.     "  On  one  occasion,"  says  Cap- 
tain Beechey,  "  I  had  engaged  Adams  m  conversa- 
tion, and  he  incautiously  took  the  first  mouthful  with- 
out having  said  grace  ;  but  before  he  had  swallowed 
it  he  recollected  himself,  and  feeling  as  if  he  had 
committed  a  crime,  immediately  put  away  what  he 
had  in  his   mouth,   and  commenced  his   prayer. 
Their  rooms  and  table  are  lighted  up  by  torches  made 
of  doodoe  nuts  {aleurites  triloba),  strung  upon    the 
fibres  of  a  palm-leaf,  which  form  a  good  substitute 
for  candles.  ,        ,   .,     ^       i 

It  is  remarkable  enough,  that  although  the  female 
Dtirt  of  the  society  is  highly  respected,  yet  in  one 


272  FITCAIRN'S    15LAND. 

instance  a  distinction  is  kept  up  which  in  civihzed 
countries  would  be  deemed  degrading.  It  is  tliat 
which  is  rigidly  observed  in  all  the  Soutli  Sea 
islands,  and  indeed  throughout  almost  the  whole 
eastern  world,  that  no  woman  shall  eat  in  the 
presence  of  her  husband ;  and  though  this  distinc- 
tion between  man  and  wife  is  not  carried  quite  so  far 
in  Pitcairn's  Island,  it  is  observed  to  the  extent  of 
excluding  all  women  from  table  when  there  is  a  de- 
ficiency of  seats.  It  seems  they  defended  the  cus- 
tom on  the  ground  that  man  was  made  before  woman, 
and  is  entitled,  therefore,  to  be  first  served — a  con- 
clusion, observes  Beechey,  "  that  deprived  us  of  the 
company  of  the  women  at  table  during  the  whole 
of  our  stay  at  the  island.  Far,  however,  from  con- 
sidering themselves  neglected,  they  very  good-na- 
turedly chatted  with  us  behind  our  seats,  and  flapped 
away  the  flies,  and  by  a  gentle  tap,  accidentally  or 
playfully  delivered,  reminded  us  occasionally  of  the 
honour  that  was  done  us."  The  vomen,  when  the 
men  had  finished,  sat  down  to  what  remained. 

The  beds  were  next  prepared.  A  mattress  com- 
posed of  palm-leaves  was  covered  with  native  cloth 
made  of  the  paper  mulberry-tree,  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  in  Otaheite ;  the  sheets  were  of  the  same 
material,  and  it  appeared  from  their  crackling  that 
they  were  quite  new  from  the  loom,  or  rather  the 
beater.  The  whole  arrangement  is  stated  to  have 
been  comfortable,  and  inviting  to  repose ;  one  inter- 
ruption only  disturbed  their  first  sleep ;  this  was  the 
melody  of  the  evening  hvmn,  which,  after  the  lights 
were  put  out,  was  chanttf  1  by  the  whole  family  in  the 
middle  of  the  room.  At  early  dawn  they  were 
also  awaked  by  their  morning  hymn  and  the  family 
devotion ;  after  which  the  islanders  all  set  out  to 
their  several  occup^ions.  Some  of  the  women  had 
taken  the  linen  of  their  visiters  to  wash ;  others 
were  preparing  for  the  next  meal ;  and  others  were 
employed  in  the  manufacture  of  cloth. 


pitcairn's  island.  273 

The  innocence  and  simplicity  of  these  interesting 
young  creatures  are  strongly  exemplified  in  the  fol- 
lowing description.  "  By  our  bedside  had  already 
been  placed  some  ripe  fruits ;  and  our  hats  were 
crowned  with  chaplets  of  the  fresh  blossom  of  the  nono 
or  flower-tree  {Morinda  citrifolia),  which  the  women 
had  gathered  in  the  freshness  of  the  morning  dew. 
On  looking  round  the  apartment,  though  it  contained 
several  beds,  we  found  no  partition,  curtain,  or 
screens ;  they  had  not  yet  been  considered  neces- 
sary. So  far  indeed  from  concealment  being  thought 
of,  when  we  were  about  to  get  up,  the  women, 
anxious  to  show  their  attention,  assembled  to  wish 
us  good  morning,  and  to  inquire  in  what  way  they 
could  best  contribute  to  our  comforts,  and  to  present 
us  with  some  little  gift  which  the  produce  of  the 
island  afforded.  Many  persons  would  have  felt 
awkward  at  rising  and  dressing  before  so  many 
pretty  black-eyed  damsels,  assembled  in  the  centre 
of  a  spacious  room ;  but  by  a  little  habit  we  overcame 
this  embarrassment,  and  found  the  benefit  of  theii 
services  in  fetching  water  as  we  required  it,  and  in 
substituting  clean  linen  for  such  as  we  pulled  off.'* 

Their  cottages  are  spacious,  and  strongly  built  of 
wood,  in  an  oblong  form,  and  thatched  with  the 
leaves  of  the  palm-tree  bent  round  the  stem  of  a 
branch  from  the  same,  and  laced  horizontally  to 
rafters  so  placed  as  to  give  a  proper  pitch  to  the 
roof.  An  upper  story  is  appropriated  to  sleeping, 
and  has  four  beds,  one  in  each  angle  of  the  room, 
and  large  enough  for  three  or  four  persons  to  sleep 
on.  The  lower  is  the  eating-room,  havinsr  a  broad 
table  with  several  stools  placed  round  it.  The  lower 
room  communicates  with  the  upper  by  a  stout  lad- 
der in  the  centre.  Immediately  round  the  village 
are  small  enclosures  for  fattening  pigs,  goats,  and 
poultry  ;  and  beyond  them  are  the  cultivated  grounds 
producing  the  banana,  plantam,  melon,  yam,  taro, 
sweet  potatoes,  tee-iree,  cloth-plant,  with  other  useful 


274  pitcairn's  island. 

roots,  fruits,  and  a  variety  of  shrubs.  Every  cot 
tage  has  its  ont-house  for  making  cloth,  its  baking 
place,  its  pig-sty,  and  its  poultry-house. 

During  the  stay  of  the  strangers  on  the  island, 
they  dined  sometimes  with  one  person  and  some- 
times with  another,  their  meals  being  always  the 
same,  and  consisting  of  baked  pig,  yams,  and  taro 
and  sometimes  sweet  potatoes.  Goats  are  nume- 
rous on  the  island,  but  neither  their  flesh  nor  their 
milk  is  rehshed  by  tlie  natives.  Yams  constitute 
their  principal  food,  either  boiled,  baked,  or  mixed 
with  cocoanut,  made  into  cakes,  and  eaten  with  mo- 
lasses extracted  from  the  tee-root.  Taro-root  is  no 
bad  substitute  for  bread ;  and  bananas,  plantains,  and 
appoi  are  wholesome  and  nutritive  fruits.  The  com- 
mon beverage  is  water,  but  they  make  tea  from  the 
tee-plant,  flavoured  with  ginger,  and  sweetened  with 
the  juice  of  the  sugar-cane.  They  but  seldom  kill 
a  pig,  living  mostly  on  fruit  and  vegetables.  With 
this  simple  diet,  early  rising,  and  taking  a  great  deal 
of  exercise,  they  are  subject  to  few  diseases ;  and 
Captain  Beechey  says,  "  they  are  certainly  a  finer 
and  more  athletic  race  than  is  usually  found  among 
the  families  of  mankind." 

The  young  children  are  punctual  in  their  attend- 
ance at  school,  and  are  instructed  by  John  Buffet  in 
reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic  ;  to  which  are  added 
precepts  of  religion  and  morality,  drawn  chiefly  from 
the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book;  than  which,  fortunately, 
they  possess  no  others,  that  might  mystify  and 
perplex  their  understandings  on  religious  subjects. 
They  seldom  indulge  in  jokes  or  other  kinds  of 
levity ;  and  Beechey  says  they  are  so  accustomed  to 
take  what  is  said  in  its  literal  meaning,  that  irony 
was  always  considered  a  falsehood  in  spite  of  ex- 
planation ;  and  that  they  could  not  see  the  propriety 
of  uttering  v/hat  was  not  strictly  true,  for  any  pur- 
pose wliatever.     The  Sabbath  is  wholly  devoted  to 


pitcairn's  island.  275 

meditation ;  no  work  of  any  kind  is  done  on  that 
day,  not  even  cooking,  which  is  prepared  on  the  pre- 
ceding evening. 

"I  attended,"  says  Beechey,  "their  church  on 
this  day,  and  found  the  service  well  conducted  ;  the 
prayers  were  read  by  Adams,  and  the  lessons  by 
Buffet,  the  service  being  preceded  by  hymns.  The 
greatest  devotion  was  apparent  in  every  individual ; 
and  in  the  children  there  was  a  seriousness  unknown 
in  the  younger  part  of  our  communities  at  home. 
In  the  course  of  the  Litany,  they  prayed  for  their 
sovereign  and  all  the  royal  fanhly,  with  much  ap- 
parent loyalty  and  sincerity.  Some  family  prayers 
whicli  were  thought  appropriate  to  their  own  particu- 
lar case  were  added  to  the  usual  service  ;  and  Adams, 
fearful  of  leaving  out  any  essential  part,  read  in  ad- 
dition all  those  prayers  which  are  intended  only  as 
substitutes  for  others.  A  sermon  followed,  wiiich 
was  very  well  delivered  by  Buffet ;  and  lest  any  part 
of  it  should  be  forgotten,  or  escape  attention,  it  was 
read  three  times.  The  whole  concluded  with  hymns, 
which  were  first  sung  by  the  grown  people,  and 
afterward  by  the  children.  The  service  thns  per- 
formed was  very  long ;  but  the  neat  and  cleanly  ap- 
pearance of  the  congregation,  the  devotion  that  ani- 
mated every  countenance,  and  the  innocence  and 
simplicity  of  the  httle  children,  prevented  the  at- 
tendance from  becoming  wearisome.  In  about  half 
an  hour  afterward  we  again  assembled  to  prayers, 
and  at  sunset  service  W' as  repeated ;  so  that,  with 
their  morning  and  evening  prayers,  they  maybe  said 
to  have  church  five  times  on  a  Sunday." 

Perhaps  it  will  be  thought  by  some  that  they  carry 
their  seriousness  too  far,  and  that  the  younger  people 
are  not  allowed  a  sufficient  quantity  of  recreation. 
Tlie  exercise  and  amusement  of  dancing,  once  so 
much  resorted  to  in  most  of  the  islands  of  the  Pa- 
r-ific,  is  here  almost  excluded.  With  great  difficulty 
Riid  much  entreaty,  the  visiters  prevailed  on  three 


276  pitcairn's  island. 

grown-up  ladies  to  stand  up  to  perform  the  Otaheitan 
dance,  which'  they  consented  to  with  a  reluctance 
that  showed  it  was  done  only  to  oblige  them.  It  was 
little  more  than  a  shuffling  of  the  feet,  sliding  past 
each  other,  and  snapping  their  fingers.  They  did 
not  long  continue  this  diversion,  considering  it  as 
too  great  a  levity,  and  only  the  three  before-men- 
tioned ladies  could  be  prevailed  on  to  exhibit  their 
skill.  They  appeared  to  have  little  taste  for  music, 
either  instrumental  or  vocal.  Adams,  when  on  board 
the  Blossom  for  two  or  three  days,  made  no  difficult}'' 
of  joining  in  the  dance,  and  was  remarkably  cheer- 
ful, but  on  no  occasion  neglected  his  usual  devotions. 
Captain  Beechey  has  no  doubt  of  the  sincerity  of 
his  piety.  He  slept  in  the  same  cabin,  but  would 
never  get  into  his  cot  until  the  captain  was  in  bed  and 
supposed  to  be  asleep,  when,  in  a  retired  corner  of 
the  cabin,  he  fell  on  his  knees  and  performed  his  de- 
votions ;  and  he  was  always  up  first  in  the  morning 
for  the  same  purpose. 

This  good  old  man  told  Beechey  one  day  that  it 
would  add  much  to  his  happiness  if  he  would  read 
the  marriage  ceremony  to  him  and  4iis  wife,  as  he 
could  not  bear  the  idea  of  living  with  her  without 
its  being  done  Avhen  a  proper  opportunity  should 
offer,  as  was  now  the  case.  Though  Adams  was 
aged,  and  the  old  woman  had  been  blind  and  bedrid- 
den for  several  years,  Beechey  says  he  made  such  a 
point  of  it,  that  it  would  have  been  cruel  to  refuse 
him.  They  were  accordingly,  the  following  day, 
duly  united,  and  the  event  noted  in  a  register  by 
John  Buffet.  The  marriages  that  take  place  among 
the  young  people  are,  however,  performed  by 
Adams,  who  makes  use  of  a  ring  for  such  occasions, 
whidi  has  united  every  couple  on  the  island  since  its 
first  settlement ;  the  regulated  age  under  which  no 
man  is  allowed  to  marry  is  twenty,  and  that  of  the 
women  eighteen.  The  restrictions  with  regard  to 
relationship  are  the  same  as  with  us,  and  are  strictly 


PITCAIKN  S    ISLAND.  27" 

put   in    force  when   parties    are    about   to    marry 
Adams  also  officiates  at  christenings. 

Captain  Beechey  observes  that  these  amiabh 
people  rigidly  adhere  to  their  word  and  promise 
even  in  cases  where  the  most  scrupulous  amonia 
Europeans  might  think  themselves  justified  in  some 
relaxation  of  them.  Thus,' George  Adams,  in  his 
early  days,  had  fallen  in  love  with  Polly  Young,  a 
girl  somewhat  older  than  himself;  but  Polly,  for 
some  reason  or  other,  had  incautiously  declared  she 
never  would  give  her  hand  to  George  Adams  ;  who, 
however,  still  hoped  she  would  one  day  relent,  and 
of  course  was  unremitting  in  his  endeavours  to 
please  her ;  nor  was  he  mistaken  ;  his  constancy  and 
his  handsome  form,  which  George  took  every  oppor- 
tunity of  displaying  before  her,  softened  Polly's 
heart,  and  she  would  willingly  have  given  him  her 
hand.  But  the  vow  of  her  youth  was  not  to  be  got 
over,  and  the  love-sick  couple  languished  on  from 
day  to  day,  victims  to  the  folly  of  early  resolutions. 
This  weighty  case  was  referred  to  the  British  offi- 
cers, who  decided  that  it  would  be  much  better  to 
marry  than  to  continue  unhapp}^  in  consequence  of  a 
hasty  resolution  made  before  the  judgment  was  ma- 
tured, but  Polly's  scruples  still  remained,  and  those 
who  gave  their  decision  left  them  unmarried.  Cap- 
tain Beechey,  however,  has  recently  received  a  let- 
ter, stating  that  George  Adams  and  Polly  Young 
had  joined  hands  and  were  happy  ;  but  the  same  let- 
ter announced  the  death  of  John  Adams,  which  took 
place  in  March,  1829. 

The  demise  of  this  old  patriarch  is  the  most 
serious  loss  that  could  have  befallen  this  infant  col- 
ony. The  perfect  harmony  and  contentment  in 
which  they  appear  to  live  together,  the  innocence 
and  simplicity  of  their  manners,  their  conjugal  and 
parental  affection, their  moral,  religious,  and  virtuous 
conduct,  and  their  exemption  from  any  serious  vice, 
are  .all  to  be  ascribed  to  the  exemplary  conduct  and 


278  •  pitcatrn's  island. 

instructions  of  old  John  Adams ;  and  it  is  gratifying 
to  know,  that  five  years  after  the  visit  of  the  Blos- 
som, and  one  3^ear  subsequent  to  Adams's  death,  the 
little  colony  continued  to  enjoy  the  same  uninter- 
rupted state  of  harmony  and  contentment  as  before. 

In  consequence  of  a  representation  made  by  Cap- 
tain Beechey  when  there  of  the  distressed  state  of 
this  little  society  with  regard  to  the  want  of  certain 
necessary  articles,  his  majesty's  government  sent 
out  to  Valparaiso,  to  be  conveyed  from  thence  for 
their  use,  a  proportion  for  sixty  persons,  of  the  fol- 
lowing articles :  sailors'  blue  jackets  and  trousers, 
flannel  waistcoats,  pairs  of  stockings  and  shoes, 
women's  dresses,  spades,  mattocks,  shovels,  pick- 
axes, trowels,  rakes ;  all  of  which  were  taken  in  his 
majesty's  ship  Seringapatam,  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain the  Honourable  William  Waldegrave,  v/ho  ar- 
rived there  in  March,  1830. 

The  ship  had  scarcely  anchored  Avhen  George 
Young  was  alongside  in  his  canoe,  which  he  guided 
by  a  paddle  ;  and  soon  after  Thursday  October  Chris- 
tian, in  a  jolly-boat,  with  several  others,  who,  having 
come  on  board,  were  invited  to  breakfast,  and  one 
of  them  said  grace  as  usual  both  before  and  after  it. 
The  captain,  the  chaplain,  and  some  other  officers 
accompanied  these  natives  on  shore,  and  having 
reached  the  summit  of  the  first  level  or  plain,  which 
is  surrounded  by  a  grove  or  screen  of  cocoanut- 
trees,  they  found  the  wives  and  mothers  assembled 
to  receive  them.  "  I  have  brought  you  a  clergy- 
man," says  the  captain. — "  God  bless  you,"  issued 
from  every  mouth ;  "  but  is  he  come  to  stay  with  us  V 
— "  No." — "  You  bad  man,  why  not  ]" — "  I  cannot 
spare  him,  he  is  the  chaplain  of  my  ship  ;  but  I  have 
brought  you  clothes  and  other  articles,  which  King 
George  has  sent  you." — "  But,"  says  Kitty  Quhitai, 
"  we  want  food  for  our  souls." 

"  Our  reception,"  says  Captain  Waldegrave,  "  was 
most  cordial,  particularly  that  of  Mr.  Watson,  the 


pitcairn's  island.  279 

chaplain;  and  the  meeting  of  the  wives  and  hus- 
bands most  affectinof,  exchanging  expressions  of 
joy  that  could  not  have  been  exceeded  had  they  just 
returned  from  a  long  absence.  The  men  sprang  up 
to  the  trees,  throwing  down  cocoanuts,  the  husks 
of  which  were  torn  off  by  others  with  their  teeth, 
and  offering  us  the  milk.  As  soon  as  we  had  rested 
ourselves,  they  took  us  to  their  cottages,  where  we 
dined  and  slept." 

Captain  Waldegrave  says  it  was  highly  gratify 
ing  to  observe  their  native  simplicity  of  manners, 
apparently  without  guile  ;  their  hospitality  was  un- 
bounded, their  cottages  being  open  to  all,  and  all 
were  welcome  to  such  food  as  they  possessed ;  pigs 
and  fowls  were  immediately  killed  and  dressed,  and 
when  the  guests  w^ere  seated,  one  of  the  islanders, 
in  the  attitude  of  prayer,  and  his  eyes  raised  towards 
heaven,  repeated  a  simple  grace  for  the  present  food 
they  were  about  to  partake  of,  beseeching,  at  the 
same  time,  spiritual  nourishment;  at  the  end  of  which 
each  responded  Amen.  On  the  arrival  of  any  one 
during  the  repast,  they  all  paused  until  the  new 
guest  had  said  grace. 

At  night  they  all  assembled  in  one  of  the  cottages 
to  hear  the  afternoon  church  service  performed  by- 
Mr.  Watson,  and  Captain  Waldegrave  describes  it 
as  a  most  striking  scene.  The  place  chosen  was 
the  bedroom  of  one  of  the  double  cottages,  or  one 
with  an  upper  story.  The  ascent  w^as  by  a  broad 
ladder  from  the  lower  room  through  a  trap-door. 
The  clergyman  took  his  station  between  tv/o  beds, 
with  a  lamp  burning  close  behind  him.  In  the  bed  on 
his  right  were  three  infants  sound  asleep  ;  at  the  foot 
of  that  on  his  left  v.ere  three  men  sitting.  On  each 
side  and  in  front  were  the  men,  some  wearing  only 
the  simple  mara,  displaying  their  gigantic  figures ; 
others  in  jackets  and  trousers,  their  necks  and  feet 
bare ;  behind  stood  the  women,  in  their  modest 
home-made   cloth  dresses,  which  entirely  covered 


28t  pitcairn's  island. 

the  form,  leaving  only  the  head  and  feet  bare.  The 
girls  wore,  in  addition,  a  sheet  knotted  in  the  man- 
ner of  a  Roman  senator's  toga,  thrown  over  the  right 
shoulder  and  under  the  left  arm.  When  tl.e  general 
confession  commenced,  they  all  knelt  down  facing 
,the  clergyman,  with  their  hands  raised  to  the  breast 
in  the  attitude  of  prayer,  slowly  and  distinctly  re- 
[peating  the  confession  after  the  clergyman.  They 
prayed  for  the  King  of  England,  whom'they  consider 
as  their  sovereign.  A  sermon  followed,  from  a  text 
which  Captain  Waldegrave  thinks  was  most  happily 
chosen  :  "  Fear  not,  little  flock,  for  it  is  your  Father's 
good  pleasure  to  give  you  th'e  kingdom."  At  the 
conclusion  of  the  service  they  requested  permission 
to  sing  their  parting  hymn,  when  the  whole  congre- 
gation, in  good  time,  sang  "  Depart  in  peace." 

Captain  Waldegrave,  like  all  former  visiters,  bears 
testimony  to  the  kind  disposition  and  active  benevo- 
lence of  these  simple  islanders.  The  children,  he 
says,  are  fond  and  obedient,  the  parents  affectionate 
and  kind  towards  their  children.  None  of  the  party 
ever  heard  a  harsh  word  made  use  of  by  one  towards 
another.  They  never  slander  or  speak  ill  of  one 
another.  If  any  question  was  asked  as  to  the 
character  or  conduct  of  a  particular  individual,  the 
answer  would  probably  be  something  of  this  kind, 
"  If  it  could  do  any  good,  I  would  answer  you  ;  but 
as  it  cannot,  it  would  be  wrong  to  tell  tales ;"  or  if 
the  question  applied  to  one  who  had  committed  a 
fault  tliey  would  say,  "  It  would  be  wrong  to  tell  my 
neighbour's  shame."  The  kind  and  benevolent  feel- 
ing of  these  amiable  people  is  extended  to  the  sur- 
viving widows  of  the  Otaheite  men  who  were  slain 
on  the  island,  and  who  would  be  left  in  a  helpless 
and  destitute  state,  were  it  not  for  the  humane 
consideration  of  the  younger  part  of  the  society,  by 
whom  they  are  supported  and  regarded  with  every 
mark  of  attention. 

The  women  are  clothed  in  white  cloth  made  from 


pitcairn's  island.  281 

the  paper  mulberry,  the  dress  extending  irom  the 
shoulders  to  the  feet,  in  double  folds,  and  so  loose 
as  entirely  to  conceal  the  shape  of  the  person.  The 
mothers,  while  nursing,  carry  the  infant  within  their 
dress;  as  the  child  advances  in  growth  it  sits  across 
tlie  hip  of  the  parent  with  its  little  hands  clinging  to 
the  shoulder,  while  the  mother's  arm  passing  round 
it  keeps  it  in  safety.  The  men  and  boys,  except  on 
Sunday,  Avhen  they  appear  in  English  dresses,  gene- 
rally wear  only  the  mara,  or  waist-cloth,  which,  pass- 
ing over  the  hips  and  between  the  legs,  is  knotted  be- 
hind ;  the  climate  is  in  fact  too  hot  for  cumbersome 
clothing.  The  women,  when  working,  use  only  a 
petticoat,  with  a  jacket. 

The  men  are  stated  to  be  from  five  feet  eight 
inches  to  six  feet  high,  of  great  muscular  strength 
and  excellent  figures.  "  We  did  not  see,"  says  Cap- 
tain Waldegrave,  "  one  cripple  or  defective  person, 
except  one  boy,  wliom,  in  the  most  good-humoured 
way,  and  laughing  heartily,  they  brought  to  me, 
observmg,  '  You  ought  to  be  brothers,  you  have 
each  lost  the  right  eye.'  I  acknowledged  the  con- 
nexion, and  no  doubt  for  the  future  he  wilhbe  called 
the  Captain." 

Captain  Beechey  has  given  a  more  detailed  ac- 
count of  the  physical  qualities  of  the  Pitcairn 
islanders.  He  says  they  are  tall,  robust,  and  healthy ; 
their  average  height  five  feet  ten  inches ;  the  tallest 
man  measured  six  feet  and  one  qudrter  of  an  inch, 
and  the  shortest  of  the  adults  five  feet  nine  inches 
and  one-eighth ;  their  hmbs  well  proportioned,  round, 
■and  straight ;  their  feet  turning  a  little  inwards. 
A  boy  of  eight  years  measured  four  feet  and  one 
inch ;  another  of  nine  years  four  feet  three  inches. 
Their  simple  food  and  early  habits  of  exercise  give 
them  a  muscular  power  and  activity  not  often  sur- 
passed. It  i»  ijcorded  on  the  island  that  George 
Young  and  Edward  Quintal  have  each  carried  at 
one  time  a  kedge  anchor,  two  sledge  hammers,  and 


282  pitcairn's  island. 

an  armourer's  anvil,  Aveighing  together  upwards  of 
six  hundred  pounds ;  and  that  Quintal  once  curried 
a  boat  twenty-eight  feet  in  length.  In  the  water 
tliey  are  almost  as  much  at  home  as  on  land,  and 
can  remain  almost  a  whole  day  in  the  sea.  They 
frequently  swim  round  their  little  island,  the  circuit 
of  whicli  is  at  the  least  seven  miles  ;  and  the  women 
are  nearly  as  expert  swimmers  as  the  men. 

The  female  descendants  of  the  Otaheite  women 
are  almost  as  muscular  as  the  males,  and  taller  than 
the  generality  of  the  sex.  Polly  Young,  who  is  not 
the  tallest  on  the  island,  measured  five  feet  nine 
inches  and  a  half.  The  features  of  both  men  and 
women  are  regular  and  well  formed ;  eyes  bright 
and  generally  hazel,  though  in  a  few  instances  blue ; 
the  eyebrows  thin  and  rarely  meeting ;  the  nose  a 
little  flattened,  and  being  rather  extended  at  the 
nostrils,  partakes  of  the  Otaheitan  character,  as  do 
the  lips,  which  are  broad  and  strongly  sulcated ; 
their  ears  moderately  large,  and  the  lobes  are  in- 
variably united  with  the  cheek ;  they  are  generally 
perforated  when  young,  for  the  reception  of  flowers, 
a  very  common  custom  among  the  natives  of  the 
South  Sea  islands ;  hair  black,  sometimes  curling, 
sometimes  straight ;  teeth  regular  and  white.  On 
the  whole  they  are  a  well-looking  people. 

Captain  Beechey  says,  the  women  have  all  learned 
the  art  of  midwifery  ;  that  parturition  generally 
takes  place  during  the  night-time  ;  tliat  the  duration 
of  labour  is  seldom  longer  than  five  hours,  and  has 
not  yet  in  any  case  proved  fatal ;  but  there.is  no  in- 
stance of  tv/ins,  nor  of  a  single  miscarriage,  except 
from  accident.  Infants  are  generally  bathed  three 
times  a  day  in  cold  water,  and  are  sometimes  not 
weaned  for  three  or  four  years ;  but  when  that  does 
take  place,  they  are  fed  upon  '  popoe,"  made  of  ripe 
plantains  and  boiled  taro-root  rubbed  into  a  paste. 
Mr.  Collie,  the  surgeon  of  the  Blossom,  remarks 
that  nothing  is  more  extraordinary  in  the  history 


pitcairn's  island.  283 

of  the  island  than  the  uniform  good  health  of  the 
children ;  the  teething-  is  easily  got  over,  they  have 
no  bowel  complaints,  and  are  exempt  from  those  con- 
tagious diseases  which  affect  children  in  large  com- 
munities. He  oifered  to  vaccinate  the  children  as 
well  as  all  the  grown  persons ;  but  they  deemed  the 
risk  of  infection  of  small-pox  to  be  too  small  to 
render  that  operation  necessary. 

As  a  proof  how  very  much  simple  diet  and  con- 
stant exercise  tend  to  the  healthful  state  of  the  body, 
the  skin  of  these  people,  though  in  such  robust 
health,  compared  with  that  of  the  Europeans,  always 
felt  cold,  and  their  pulses  always  considerably  lower. 
The  doctor  examined  several  of  them  ;  in  the  fore- 
noon he  foiwid  George  YoungV  only  sixty;  three 
others,  in  the  afternoon,  after  cimner,  were  sixty- 
eight,  seventy-two,  and  seventy-six,  while  those  of 
the  officers  who  stood  the  heat  of  the  climate  best 
were  above  eighty. 

It  is  impossible  not  to  feel  a  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  this  little  society,  and  at  the  same  time 
an  apprehension  that  something  may  happen  to  dis- 
turb that  harmony  and  dest*-oy  that  simplicity  of 
manners  which  have  hitherto  characterized  it.  It 
is  to  be  feared,  indeed,  that  the  seeds  of  discord  are 
already  sown.  It  appears  from  Captain  Walde- 
grave's  statement,  that  no  less  than  three  English- 
men have  found  their  way  into  this  happy  society. 
One  of  them,  John  Buffet,  mentioned  by  Beechey, 
is  a  harmless  man,  and,  as  it  has  been  stated,  of 
great  use  to  the  islanders  in  his  capacity  of  clergy- 
man and  schoolmaster ;  he  is  also  a  clever  and  use- 
ful mechanic,  as  a  shipwright  and  joiner,  and  is 
much  beloved  by  the  community.  Tv/o  others  have 
since  been  left  on  the  island,  one  of  them,  by  name 
John  Evans,  son  of  a  coachmaker  in  the  employ 
of  Long  of  8t.  Martin's  Lane,  who  has  married  a 
daughter  of  John  Adams,  through  whom  he  possesses 
and  cultivates  a  certain  portion  of  land  ;  the  third  is 


'384  pitcairn's  island. 

Georg-e  Hunn  Nobbs,  who  calls  himself  registrar, 
schoolmaster,  &c.,  thus  infringing  on  the  privi- 
leges of  John  Buffet;  and  being  a  person  of  supe- 
rior talents,  and  of  exceeding  great  impudence, 
has  deprived  Buffet  of  a  great  number  of  his  schol- 
ars ;  and  hence  a  sufficient  cause  exists  of  division 
and  dissension  among  the  members  of  the  little  so- 
ciety, which  were  never  known  before.  Buffet  and 
Evans  support  themselves  by  their  industry,  but  this 
Nobbs  not  only  claims  exemption  from  labour  in 
virtue  of  his  ofhce,  but  also  as  being  entitled  to  a 
maintenance  at  the  expense  of  the  community.  He 
has  married  a  daughter  of  Charles,  and  granddaughter 
to  the  late  Fletcher  Christian,  whose  descendants, 
as  captain  of  the  gang,  might  be  induced  to  claim 
superiority,  and  which,  probably,  might  be  allowed 
by  general  consent,  had  they  but  possessed  a  mode- 
rate share  of  talent;  but  it  is  stated  that  Thursday 
October  and  Charles  Christian,  the  sons  of  the  chief 
mutineer,  are  ignorant,  uneducated  men.  The  only 
chance  for  the  continuance  of  peace  is  the  general 
dislike  in  which  this  Nobbs  is  held,  and  the  gradual 
intellectual  improvement  of  the  rising  generation. 

It  seems  that  Adams  on  his  death-bed  called  all 
the  heads  of  families  together,  and  urged  them  to 
appoint  a  chief; — this,  however,  they  have  not  done, 
which  makes  it  the  more  to  be  appiehended  that 
Nobbs,  by  his  superior  talent  or  cunning,  will  force 
himself  upon  them  into  that  situation.  Captain 
Waldegi-ave  thinks,  however,  that  Edward  Quintal, 
who  possesses  the  best  understanding  of  any  on  the 
island,  will  in  time  arrive  at  that  honour ;  his  only 
book  is  the  Bible,  but  it  is  quite  astonishing,  he  ob- 
serA  es,  what  a  fund  of  knowledge  he  has  derived 
from  it.  His  wife,  too,  is  stated  to  be  a  woman  of 
excellent  understanding;  and  their  eldest  boy,  Wil- 
liam, has  been  so  carefully  educated,  that  he  excels 
jfreatly  all  the  others.     The  descendants  of  Young 


pitcairn's  isla>?d.  285 

are  also  said  to  be  persons  generally  of  promising 
abilities. 

How  the  patriarch  Adams  contrived  to  instil  into 
the  minds  of  these  people  the  true  principles  of  re- 
ligion  and  morahty  is  quite  surprising.  He  was  able 
to  read,  but  only  learned  to  write  in  his  latter  days : 
and  having  accomphshed  this  point,  he  made  a 
scheme  of  Jaws  by  which  he  succeeded  to  govern 
his  little  community  in  the  way  we  have  seen.  The 
celebration  of  marriage  and  baptism  were  strictly 
observed  according  to  the  rites  of  the  Church  of 
England,  but  he  never  ventured  on  confirmation  and 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  He  taught  the 
children  the  church  catechism,  the  ten  command- 
ments, the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  creed,  and  he 
satisfied  himself  that  in  these  were  comprised  all  t-lre 
Christian  duties.  By  the  instrumentality  of  these 
precepts,  drawn  from"^  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
and  the  Bible,*  he  Avas  enabled,  after  the  slaughter 
of  all  his  associates,  to  rear  up  all  the  children  m 
the  principles  and  precepts  of  Christianity,  in  purity 
of  morals,  and  in  a  simphcity  of  manners  that  have 
surprised  and  delighted  every  stranger  that  has 
visited  the  island. 

The  whole  islana,  it  seems,  was  partitioned  out 
by  Adams  among  the  families  of  the  original  set- 
tlers, so  that  a  foreigner  cannot  obtain  any,  except  by 

*  Well  may  Adams  ha-ve  sought  for  rules  for  his  little  society  in  a 
book  which  contams  the  foundation  of  the  civil  and  religious  policy  of 
two-thirds  of  the  human  race,— in  that  wonderful  book,  into  whose 
mspired  pages  the  afflicted  never  seek  for  consolation  Tn  vain.  Millions 
of  examples  attest  this  truth.  '<  There  is  no  incident  in  Robinson 
Crusoe, '  observes  a  writer  in  a  critical  journal,  "  told  in  language  more 
natural  and  affecting  thtn  Robert  K.io.x's  accidental  discovery  of  a 
Bible  m  the  mulst  of  the  Catidian  dominions  of  Ceylon  His  previous 
despondency  from  the  death  of  his  father,  his  only  friend  and  companion 
whose  grave  he  had  but  just  dug  with  his  own  hands, '  being  now,'  as 
he  says, 'left  desolate,  sick,  and  in  captivity,'— his  agitation,  joy  and 
even  terror  on  me.ting  with  a  book  he  had  for  such  a  length  of  time  not 
seen,  nor  hoped  to  see— his  anxiety  lest  he  should  fail  to  procure  it— and 
the  comfort,  when  procured,  which  it  afforded  him  in  his  affliction— all 
»ro  told  m  such  a  strain  of  true  piety  and  genuine  simplicity  as  cannot 
'^il  to  interest  and  affect  everv  reader  of  sensibilitv." 

Y 


286 

purchase  or  marriage.  Captain  Waldegrave  reckons, 
that  eleven-twelfths  are  uncultivated,  and  that  popu- 
lation is  increasing  so  rapidly,  that  in  the  course  of 
a  century  the  island  will  be  fully  peopled,  and  that 
the  limit  may  be  taken  at  one  thousand  souls. 

The  rate  at  which  population  is  likely  to  increase 
may,  perhaps,  be  determined  by  political  economists 
from  the  following  data. 

In  1790  the  island  was  first  settled  by  fifteen  men 
and  twelve  women,  making  a  total  of  twenty-seven. 
Of  these  were  remaining  in  1800  one  man  and  five 
women  with  nineteen  children,  the  eldest  nine  years 
of  age,  making  in  the  whole  twenty-five.  In  1808 
Mr.  Folger  makes  the  population  amount  to  thirty- 
five,  being  an  increase  of  ten  in  eight  years.  In 
1814,  six  years  afterward,  Sir  Thom.as  Staines  states 
the  adult  population  at  forty,  which  must  be  a  mis- 
take, as  fourteen  years  before,  nineteen  of  the 
twenty-five  then  existing  were  children.  In  1825 
Captain  Beechey  states  the  whole  population  at 
sixty-six ;  of  whom  thirty-six  were  males  and  thirty 
females.  And  in  1830  Captain  Waldegrave  makes 
it  amount  to  seventy-nine ;  being  an  increase  of 
thirteen  in  five  years,  or  twenty  per  cent.,  which  is 
a  less  rapid  increase  than  might  be  expected ;  but 
there  can  be  little  doubt  it  will  go  o^i  with  an  ac- 
celerated ratio,  provided  the  means  of  subsistence 
should  not  fail  them. 

Captain  Waldegrave's  assumption  that  this  island 
is  sufficiently  large  for  the  maintenance  of  one  thou- 
sand souls  is  grounded  on  incorrect .  data ;  it  does 
not  follow,  that  because  one-twelfth  of  the  island 
will  maintain  eighty  persons,  the  whole  must  sup- 
port nine  hundred  and  sixty  persons.  The  island  is 
not  more  than  four  square  miles,  or  two  thousand 
five  hundred  and  sixty  acres ;  and  as  a  ridge  of  rocky 
hills  runs  from  north  to  south,  having  two  peaks  ex- 
ceeding one  thousand  feet  in  height,  it  is  more  than 


PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND.  -siS? 

probable  that  not  one-half  of  it  is  capable  of  cultiva- 
tion. It  would  seem,  indeed,  from  several  ancient 
morais  being  discovered  among  these  hills;  some 
stone  axes  or  hatchets  of  compact  basaltic  lava, 
very  hard  and  capable  of  a  fine  polish ;  four  stone 
images  about  six  feet  high  placed  on  a  platform  not 
unlike  those  on  Easter  Island,  one  of  which  has 
been  preserved,  and  is  the  rude  representation  of 
the  human  figure  to  the  hips,  hewn  out  of  a  piece  of 
red  lava : — these  remains  would  seem  to  indicate  a 
former  population,  that  had  found  it  expedient  to 
abandon  the  island  from  its  insufficiency  to  support 
it.  Captain  Beechey  observes,  that  "  from  these 
images,  and  the  large  piles  of  stones  on  heights  to 
which  they  must  have  been  dragged  with  great 
labour,  it  may  be  concluded  that  the  island  was  in- 
habited for  a  considerable  time  ;  and  from  bones  be- 
ing found,  always  buried  under  these  piles,  and  never 
upon  the  surface,  we  may  presume  that  those  who 
survived  quitted  the  island  in  their  canoes  to  seek  an 
asylum  elsewhere." 

It  appears  from  Beechey,  that  Adams  had  contem- 
plated the  prospect  of  an  increasing  population  with 
the  limited  means  of  supporting  it,  and  requested 
that  he  would  communicate  with  the  British  govern- 
ment upon  the  subject,  which  he  says  he  did ;  and 
that  through  the  interference  of  the  Admiralty  and 
Colonial  Office  means  have  been  taken  for  removing 
them  to  any  place  they  may  choose  for  themselves. 
It  is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  no  such  interference 
will  take  place ;  for  half  a  century,  at  least,  there 
is  no  danger  of  any  want  of  food.  The  attempt, 
however,  was  made  through  the  means  of  a  gen- 
tleman of  Otaheite,  who,  being  on  a  visit  to  this 
country,  was  authorized  on  his  return  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  their  removal  to  Otaheite,  if  they 
wished  it,  and  if  Pomarre,  the  king  of  the  island, 
should  not  object  to  receive  them  ;  and  he  carried  a 
letter  to  this  chief  from  Lord  Bathurst,  acquainting 


288  pitcairn's  island. 

him  with  the  intention  of  the  British  jTOvernment, 
and  expressing  the  hope  that  he  would  be  induced 
to  receive  under  his  protection  a  people  wliose 
moral  and  religious  character  had  created  so  lively 
an  interest  in  their  favour ;  but  it  happened  that 
this  person  passed  the  island  without  stopping.  A 
Mr.  Joshua  Hill  subsequently  proposed  their  removal 
to  New  South  Wales,  but  his  \essel  was  considered 
too  small  for  the  purpose. 

Two  years  after  this,  as  difficulties  had  occurred 
to  prevent  the  above-mentioned  intentions  from  being 
carried  into  effect,  Sir  George  Murray  deemed  i^ 
desirable  that  no  time  should  be  lost  in  affording 
such  assistance  to  these  islanders  as  might,  at  all 
events,  render  their  present  abode  as  comfortable  as 
circumstances  would  allow,  until  arrangements  could 
be  made  for  their  future  disposal  either  in  one  of  the 
Society  Islands,  as  originally  proposed,  or  at  one  of 
our  settlements  on  New-Holland.  The  assistance 
here  alluded  to  has  been  afforded,  as  above  men- 
tioned, by  his  majesty's  ship  Seringapatam. 

It  is  sincerely  to  be  hoped  that  such  removal  will 
be  no  longer  thought  of.  No  complaint  was  made 
no  apprehension  of  want  expressed  to  Captain  Wal- 
degrave,  who  left  them  contented  and  happy ;  and 
Captain  Beechey,  since  his  return,  has  received  a  let- 
ter from  John  Buffet,  who  informs  him  of  a  notifica- 
tion that  the  king  was  willing  to  receive  them,  and  that 
measures  would  be  taken  for  their  removal ;  but,  he 
adds,  the  people  are  so  much  attached  to,  and  satis- 
fied with,  their  native  island,  as  not  to  have  a  wish  to 
leave  it.  The  breaking  up  of  this  happy,  innocent, 
and  simple-minded  little  society  by  some  summary 
process,  would  be  a  subject  of  deep  regret  to  all 
who  take  an  inl  erest  in  their  welfare ;  and  to  them- 
selves might  be  the  inevitable  loss  of  all  those 
amiable  qualities  which  have  obtained  for  them  the 
kind  and  generous  sympathy  of  their  countrymen  at 
home.     We  have  a  person  who  acts  as  consul  a> 


PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND.  289 

Otaheite,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  he  will  receive  in 
Structions  on  no  account  to  sanction,  but  on  the 
contrary  to  interdict,  any  measure  that  may  be  at- 
tempted for  their  removal. 

The  time  must  come  when  they  will  emigrate  on 
their  own  accord.  When  the  hive  is  full,  they  will 
send  out  their  swarms.  Captain  Beechey  tells  us, 
that  the  reading  of  some  books  of  voyages  and 
travels,  belonging  to  Bligh  and  left  in  the  Bounty, 
had  created  a  desire  in  some  of  them  to  leave  it ; 
but  that  family  ties  and  an  ardent  affection  for  each 
other  and  for  their  native  soil  had  always  interposed 
on  the  few  occasions  that  offered  to  prevent  indi- 
viduals going  away  singly.  George  Adams,  however, 
who  had  failed  when  the  Blossom  was  there  to  soften 
the  heart  of  Polly  Young,  and  had  no  wife  to  detain 
him,  was  very  anxious  to  embark  in  that  ship,  that  he 
might  see  something  of  the  world  beyond  the  narrow 
limits  of  his  ovv^n  little  island ;  and  Beechey  would 
have  taken  him,  had  not  his  mother  wept  bitterly  at 
the  idea  of  parting  from  him,  and  wished  to  impose 
terms  touching  his  return  to  the  island  that  could 
not  be  acceded  to. 

Pitcairn's  Island  hes  at  the  south-eastern  extremity 
of  a  chain  of  islands,  which,  including  the  Society 
and  Friendly  Islands,  exceed  a  hundred  in  number, 
many  of  them  wholly  uninhabited,  and  the  rest  but 
thinly  peopled,  all  speaking  the  same,  or  nearly  the 
same,  language,  which  is  also  spoken  by  the  natives 
of  Pitcairn's  Island ;  and  all  of  the  two  groups  are 
richly  clothed  with  the  spontaneous  products  of  na- 
ture fit  for  the  use  of  man.  To  all  these  they  will 
have,  when  necessity  prompts  them,  easy  means  of 
access.  No  large  vessels  are  required  for  an  emi- 
gration of  this  kind ;  the  frailest  barks  and  single 
canoes  have  been  driven  hundreds  of  miles  over  the 
Pacific.  The  Pitcairners  have  already  proceeded 
from  the  simple  canoe  to  row-boats,  and  the  progress 
from  this  to  small  decked  vessels  is  simple  and 


290  pitcairn's  island. 

natural.  They  may  thus  at  some  future  period, 
which  is  not  at  all  improbable,  be  the  means  of 
spreading  Christianity,  and  consequently  civihzation, 
throughout  the  numerous  groups  of  islands  in  the 
Southern  Pacific  ;  Avhereas  to  remove  them  as  has 
been  suggested  might  be  to  devote  them  at  once  to 
misery  and  destruction. 

That  there  is  no  deficiency  in  the  number  and 
variety  of  plants  producing  food  and  clothing  for 
the  use  of  man  will  appear  from  the  following  list, 
which  is  far  from  being  complete : — 

INDIGENOUS. 

Cocos  nucifera Cocoanut. 

Musa  Paradisiaca Plantains. 

Musa  sapientum Bananas. 

Dioscorea  sativum Yams. 

Convolvulus  batatas Sweet  potatoes. 

Arum  esculentum Taro  root. 

Arum  costatum  ■ Yappa. 

Broussonetia  papyri/era Cloth-tree. 

Draccena  terminalis Tee-plant. 

Aleurites  triloba Doodoe. 

Morinda  citrifolia Nono. 

Toonena,  a  large  timber  tree 

Ficus  indica Banyan-tree. 

Morus  Chinencis Mulberry. 

Pandanus  odoratissimus  ? 

And  a  great  number'  of  other  indigenous  plants, 
some  of  which  are  useful  and  others  ornamental. 

INTRODUCED. 

Ariocarpus  iricisa Bread-fruit. 

Cucurbit  a  citrullus Watermelons. 

Cuciirbita  pepo Punipkins. 

Solanum  esculentum Potatoes. 

Nicotiana  tabaccum Tobacco. 

Citrus  lemoneum Lemon. 

aurantium Orange. 

Besides  these  they  have  European  pease,  beans, 
and  onions;  sugar-canes,  ginger,  pepper,  and  tur- 
meric. In  fact,  situated  as  the  island  is,  in  a  tem- 
perate climate  just  without  the  tropic,  and  enjoying 
abundance  of  rain,  there  is  scarcely  any  vegetable, 


PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND.  291 

with  the  exception  of  a  few  of  the  equinoctial  plants, 
that  may  not  be  cultivated  here.  The  zea  mays,  or 
Indian  corn,  would  be  infinitely  useful  both  for  them- 
selves, their  poultry,  and  their  pigs. 

As  a  g-reat  part  of  the  island  is  at  present  covered 
with  trees,  which  would  necessarily  give  way  to  an 
extended  cultivation,  and  as  trees  attract  rain.  Cap- 
tain Waldegrave  seems  to  think  that  when  these  are 
removed  showers  will  be  less  frequent ;  but  there  is 
little  fear  of  this  being  the  case  ;  the  central  ridge, 
with  points  that  exceed  eleven  hundred  feet  in 
height,  will  more  effectually  attract  and  condense 
the  clouds  than  any  quantity  of  trees  growing  at  a 
less  elevation;  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
plenty  of  water  will  be  found  by  digging  at  the  foot 
of  the  hills  or  close  to  the  seacoast. 

The  climate  appears  to  be  unexceptionable.  Dur- 
ing the  sixteen  days  of  December  (the  height  of 
summer)  that  the  Blossom  remained  there,  the 
range  of  the  thermometer  on  the  island,  from  nine 
in  the  morning  till  three  in  the  afternoon,  was  from 
76^  to  80° ;  on  board  ship  from  74°  to  76° ;  from 
whence  Captain  Beechey  places  the  mean  tempera- 
ture during  that  time  at  76^°.  In  winter  he  says  the 
south-westerly  winds  blow  very  cold,  and  even  snow 
has  been  known  to  fall. 

Not  one  visiter  to  this  happy  island  has  taken 
leave  of  its  amiable  inhabitants  without  a  feeling  of 
regret.  Captain  Beechey  says,  "When  we  were 
about  to  take  leave,  onr  friends  assembled  to  express 
their  regret  at  our  departure.  All  brought  some 
little  present  for  our  acceptance,  which  they  wished 
us  to  keep  in  remembrance  of  them  ;  after  which 
they  accompanied  us  to  the  beach,  where  we  took 
our  leave  of  the  female  part  of  the  inhabitants. 
Adams  and  the  young  men  pushed  off  in  their  own 
boat  to  the  ship,  determined  to  accompany  us  to 
sea  as  far  as  they  could  with  safety.  They  con- 
tinupd  on  board,  unwilling-  to  leave  us,  until  we  were 


293  PITCAIRN'S    ISLAND. 

a  considerable  distance  from  land,  when  they  'hook 
each  of  us  feelingly  by  the  hand,  and,  amid  expres- 
sions of  the  deepest  concern  at  our  dvjparture, 
wished  us  a  prosperous  voyage,  and  hoped  that  we 
might  one  day  meet  again.  As  soon  as  they  were 
clear  of  the  ship,  they  all  stood  up  in  their  boat,  and 
gave  us  three  hearty  cheers,  which  were  as  heartily 
returned.  As  the  weather  became  foggy,  the  barge 
towed  them  towards  the  shore,  and  we  took  a  final 
leave  of  them,  unconscious,  until  the  moment  of 
separation,  of  the  warm  interest  their  situation  an-J 
good  conduct  had  created  in  us  " 


(  293  1 


CONCLUSION. 

Many  «!5»i 'til  and  salutary  lessons  of  conduct  may 
be  drawn  from  this  eventful  history,  more  especially 
by  officers  of  the  navy,  both  old  and  young,  as  well 
as  by  those  subordinate  to  them.  In  the  first  place, 
it  most  strongly  points  out  the  dreadful  conse- 
quences that  are  almost  certain  to  ensue  from  a 
state  of  insubordination  and  mutiny  on  board  a  ship 
of  war,-  and  the  equally  certain  fate  that,  at  one 
time  or  other,  awaits  all  those  who  have  the  misfor- 
tune to  be  concerned  in  a  transaction  of  this  revolt- 
ing nature.  In  the  present  instance,  the  dreadful 
retribution  which  overtook  them,  and  which  was 
evinced  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner,  affords  an 
awful  and  instructive  lesson  to  seamen,  by  which 
they  may  learn,  that  although  the  guilty  may  be 
secured  for  a  time  in  evading  the  punishment  due  to 
the  offended  laws  of  society,  yet  they  must  not 
hope  to  escape  the  pursuit  of  Divine  vengeance.  It 
will  be  recollec-ted  that  the  number  of  persons  who 
remained  in  the  Bounty  after  her  piratical  seizure, 
and  of  course  charged  with  the  crime  of  mutiny, 
was  twenty-five  ;  that  these  subsequently  separated 
into  two  parties,  sixteen  having  landed  at  Otaheite, 
and  afterward  taken  from  thence  in  the  Pandora,  as 
prisoners,  and  nine  having  gone  with  the  Bounty  to 
Pitcairn's  Island. 

Of  the  sixteen  taken  in  the  Pandora, — 

1.  Mr.  Peter  Heywood,  midshipman,  was  sentenced  to  death,  but  par- 
doned. 

2.  James  Morrison,  boatswain's  mate,  do.        do. 

3.  William  Musprait,  commander's  steward,  do.        do. 

4.  Thos.  BurkiiL,  seaman,  1 

5.  John  Millward,     do.     V  condemned  and  executed. 

6.  Thos.  Ellison,       do      S 


294  CONCLUSION. 

7.  Joseph  Coleman,  armourer,  j 

8    Charles  Norman,  carpenter's  mate,  f  ^^j^^  ^^^  acqnitted. 

9.  Thos.  M'Intosh,  carpenter  s  crew,    ( 

10.  Michael  Byrne,  seaman,  ' 

11.  Mr.  George  Stewart,  midshipman,  \ 

12.  John  Sumner,  seaman,  (  drowned    in    irons   when  th* 

13.  Richard  Skinner,  seaman,  C      Pandora  was  wrecked. 

14.  Henry  Hillbrant,  cooper,  J 

15.  Chas.  Churchill,  master-at-arms,  murdered  by  Matthew  Thompson. 
If).  Matthew  Thompson,  seaman,  murdered  by  Churchill's  friends  in 

Otaheite. 

Of  the  nine  who  landed  on  Pitcairn's  Island, — 

1.  Mr  Fletcher  Christian,  acting-lieutenant,  •\ 

2.  John  Williams,  seaman,  /  ^^^^^  murdered  by  the 

3.  Isaac  Martm,        do.  V      otaheitans. 

4.  John  Mills,  gunner's  mate,  \ 

5.  William  Brown,  botanist's  assistant,  J 

6.  Matthew  Quintal,  seaman,  put  to  death  by  Young  and  Adams  in  self- 

defence. 

7.  William  M'Koy,  seaman,  became  insane,  and  killed  by  throwing 

himself  from  a  rock. 

8.  Mr.  Edward  Young,  midshipman,  died  of  asthma. 

9.  Ale.x.  Smith,  alias  John  Adams,  seaman,  died  in  1829. 

Young  officers  of  the  navy,  as  well  as  the  common 
seamen,  may  also  derive  some  useful  lessons  from 
the  events  of  this  history.  They  will  see  the  mel- 
ancholy results  of  affording  the  least  encouragement 
for  seamen  to  depart  from  their  strict  line  of  duty, 
and  to  relax  in  that  obedience  to  the  orders  of  supe- 
riors by  which  alone  the  disciphne  of  the  service 
can  be  preserved  ;  they  will  learn  how  dangerous  it 
is  to  show  themselves  careless  and  indifferent  in  exe- 
cuting those  orders,  by  thus  setting  a  bad  example 
to  the  men.  It  ought  also  to  enforce  on  their  minds 
how  necessary  it  .is  to  avoid  even  the  appearance  of 
acting  in  any  way  that  can  be  considered  as  repug- 
nant to,  or  subversive  of,  the  rules  and  regulations  of 
the  service  ;  and  most  particularly  to  guard  against 
any  conduct  that  may  have  the  appearanf;e  of  low- 
ering the  authority  of  their  superiors,  either  by  their 
words  or  actions. 

No  doubt  can  remain  on  the  minds  of  unpreju- 
diced persons,  or  such  as  are  capable  of  weighing 
evidence,  that  the  two  vouns;  midshipmen  Stewart 


CONCLUSION.  295 

and  Heywood  were  perfectly  innocent  of  any  share 
in  the  transaction  in  question ;  and  yet,  because  they 
happened  to  be  left  in  the  ship,  not  only  contrary  to 
their  wish  and  intention,  but  kept  down  below  by 
force,  the  one  lost  his  Ufe  by  being  drowned  in 
chains,  and  the  other  was  condemned  to  die,  and 
only  escaped  from  suffering  the  last  penalty  of  the 
law  by  a  recommendation  to  the  royal  mercy.  The 
only  point  in  which  these  two  officers  failed  was, 
that  they  did  not  at  once  demand  permission  to  ac- 
company their  commander,  while  they  were  allowed 
to  remain  on  deck  and  had  the  opportunity  of  doing 
BO.  The  manly  conduct  of  young  Heywood,  through- 
out his  long  and  unmerited'  sufferings,  affords  an  ex- 
ample of  firmness,  fortitude,  and  resignation  to  the 
Divine  will  that  is  above  all  praise  ;  in  fact,  nothing 
short  of  conscious  innocence  could  have  supported 
him  in  the  severe  trials  he  had  to  undergo. 

The  melancholy  effects  which  tyrannical  conduct, 
harsh  and  opprobrious  language,  ungovernable  pas- 
sion, and  a  worrying  and  harassing  temper  on  the 
part  of  naval  commanders  seldom  fail  to  produce  on 
the  minds  of  those  who  are  subject  to  their  capri- 
cious and  arbitrary  command,  are  strongly  exem- 
plified in  the  cause  and  consequences  of  the  mutiny 
in  the  Bounty,  as  described  in  the  course  of  this 
history.  Conduct  of  this  kind,  by  making  the  infe- 
rior officers  of  a  ship  discontented  and  unhappy,  has 
the  dangerous  tendency,  as  in  the  case  of  Christian, 
to  incite  the  crew  to  partake  in  their  discontent,  and 
be  ready  to  assist  in  any  plan  to  get  rid  of  the  tyrant. 
We  may  see  in  it,  also,  how  very  httle  credit  a  com- 
mander is  likely  to  gain,  either  with  the  service  or 
the  public  at  large,  when  the  duties  of  a  ship  are 
carried  on,  as  they  would  appear  to  have  been  in  the 
Pandora,  in  a  cold,  phlegmatic,  and  unfeehng  manner, 
and  with  an  indifference  to  the  comfort  of  all  around 
■  him  ; — subjecting  offenders  of  whatever  description 
to  unnecessary  restraint,  and  a  severity  of  punish- 
ment which,  though  strictly  within  the  letter  of  the 


296  CONCLUSION. 

law,  contributes  in  no  way  to  the  ends  of  discipline 
or  of  justice. 

The  conduct  of  Bligh,  however  mistaken  he  may 
have  been  in  his  mode  of  carrying  on  the  duties  of 
the  ship,  was  most  exemplary  throughout  the  long 
and  perilous  voyage  he  performed  in  an  open  boat, 
on  the  wide  ocean,  with  the  most  scanty  supply  of 
provisions  and  water,  and  in  the  w®rst  weather. 
The  result  of  such  meritorious  conduct  holds  out 
every  encouragement  to  both  officers  and  men,  by 
showing  them  that  by  firmness  and  perseverance, 
and  the  adoption  of  well-digested  measures,  steadily 
pursued  in  spite  of  opposition,  the  most  hopelesd 
undertaking,  to  all  appearance,  may  be  successfully 
accomplished. 

And,  lastly,  the  fate  that  has  attended  almost 
every  one  of  those  concerned  in  the  mutiny  and 
piracy  of  his  majesty's  ship  Bounty  ought  to  operate 
•as  a  warning  to,  and  make  a  deep  impression  on  the 
minds  of  our  brave  seamen,  not  to  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  led  astray  from  the  straight-forward 
line  of  their  duty,  either  by  order  or  persuasion  of 
some  hot-brained,  thoughtless,  or  designing  person, 
whether  their  superior  or  equal,  but  to  remain 
faithful,  under  all  circumstances,  to  their  com- 
manding officer;  as  any  mutinous  proceedings  or 
disobedience  of  his  orders  are  sure  to  be  visited  upon 
them  in  the  long  run,  either  by  loss  of  life,  or  by  a 
forfeiture  of  that  liberal  provision  which  the  British 
government  has  bestowed  on  its  seamen  for  long 
and  faithful  services. 


P.S.  Just  as  this  last  sheet  came  from  the  press, 
the  editor  has  noticed  a  paragraph  in  the  news- 
papers, said  to  be  extracted  from  an  American  paper, 
stating  that  a  vessel  sent  to  Pitcairn's  Island  by  the 
Europeans  of  Otaheite  has  carried  oflf  the  whole  ot 
the  settlers  to  the  latter  island. 


C  297  1 


ADDITIONAL  NOTE. 

In  reference  to  the  subject  of  extraordinary  pas- 
sages made  in  open  boats  on  the  wide  ocean,  and  the 
note  thereon  at  page  113,  the  following  may  be 
added  as  another  instance,  the  most  painfully  inter- 
esting, and  the  most  calamitous,  perhaps,  ever  re- 
corded. It  was  related  to  Mr.  Eennet,  a  gentleman 
deputed  bv  the  Missionary  Society  of  London,  to- 
gether with  the  Rev.  Daniel  Tyerman,  to  visit  iheir 
several  stations  in  the  South  Sea  islands,  by  Captain 
George  Pollard,  the  unfortunate  sufferer,  whom 
these  gentlemen  met  with  at  Raiatea,  then  a  pas- 
senger in  an  American  vessel,  having  a  second  time 
lost^his  ship  near  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The  nar- 
rative is  extracted  from  "The  Journal  of  Voyages 
and  Travels,"  just  published,  of  the  two  gentlemen 
above-mentioned,  and  is  as  follows : —  . 

"  My  first  shipwreck  was  in  open  sea,  on  the  20th 
of  November,  1820,  near  the  equator,  about  118°  W. 
long.  The  vessel,  a  South  Sea  whaler,  was  called 
the  Essex.  On  that  day,  as  we  were  on  the  look 
out  for  sperm  whales,  and  had  actually  struck  two, 
which  the  boats'  crews  were  following  to  secure,  I 
perceived  a  very  large  one — it  might  be  eighty  or 
ninety  feet  long — rushing  with  great  swiftness 
through  the  water,  right  towards  the  ship.  We 
hoped  that  she  would  turn  aside,  and  dive  under, 
when  she  perceived  such  a  balk  in  her  way.  But 
no  !  the  animal  came  full  foirce  against  our  stern- 
post ;  had  any  quarter  less  firm  been  struck,  the 
vessel  must  have  been  burst ;  as  it  was,  every  plank 
and  timber  trembled  throughout  her  whole  bulk. 

"  The  whale,  as  though  hurt  by  a  severe  and  unex- 
pected concussion,  shook  its  enormous  head,  and 
sheered  off  to  so  considerable  a  distance  that  fot 


298  ADDITIONAL    NOTE. 

some  time  we  had  lost  si^ht  of  her  from  the  star- 
'^oard  quarter  :  of  which  we  were  very  glad,  hoping 
that  the  worst  was  over.  Nearly  an  hour  afterward, 
we  saw  the  same  fish — we  had  no  doubt  of  this, 
from  her  size  and  the  direction  in  whicli  she  came — 
making  again  towards  us.  We  were  at  once  aware 
of  our  danger,  but  escape  was  impossible.  She 
dashed  her  head  this  time  against  the  ship's  side, 
and  so  broke  it  in  that  the  vessel  filled  rapidly,  and 
soon  became  Avaterlogged.  At  the  second  shock,  ex- 
pecting her  to  go  down,  we  lowered  our  three  boats 
with  the  utmost  expedition,  and  all  hands,  twenty 
in  the  whole,  got  into  them — seven,  and  seven, 
and  six.  In  a  little  while,  as  she  did  not  sink,  we 
ventured  on  board  again,  and,  by  scuttling  the  deck, 
were  enabled  to  get  out  some  buscuit,  beef,  water, 
rum,  tw^o  sextants,  a  quadrant,  and  three  compasses. 
These,  together  with  some  rigging,  a  few  muskets, 
powder,  &c.  we  brought  away ;  and,  dividing  the 
stores  among  our  three  small  crew^s,  rigged  the  boats 
as  well  as  we  could ;  there  being  a  compass  for 
each,  and  a  sextant  for  two,  and  a  quadrant  for  one, 
but  neither  sextant  nor  quadrant  for  the  third.* 
Then,  instead  of  pushing  away  for  some  port,  so 
amazed  and  bewildered  were  w^e  that  we  continued 
sitting  in  ourplaces  gazing  upon  the  ship,  as  though 
she  had  been  an  object  of  the  tenderest  affection. 
Our  eyes  could  not  leave  her,  till,  at  the  end  of 
many  hours,  she  gave  a  slight  reel,  then  down  she 
sank.  No  words  can  tell  our  feelings.  We  looked 
at  each  other — we  looked  at  the  place  where  she 
had  so  latel}''  been  afloat — and  we  did  not  cease  ta 
look  till  the  terrible  conviction  of  our  abandoned 
and  perilous  situation  roused  us  to  exertion,  if  de- 
liverance were  yet  possible. 

"  We  now  consulted  about  the  course  which  it  mig?7^ 
be  best  to  take — west  ward  to  India,  eastward  to  South 
America,  or  south-westward  to  the  Society  Islns. 

*  If  there  were /Arfe  instruments  and  ''"^<>e  ooats  there  must  have 
been  ojie  for  each,  for  th?  quadrant  was  jusi  a^  gotid  as  a  sextant. — Ed. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTE.  299 

We  knew  that  we  were  at  no  great  distance  from 
Tahiti,  but  were  so  ignorant  of  the  state  and  temper 
of  the' inhabitants,  that  we  feared  we  should  be  de- 
voured bv  cannibals,  if  we  cast  ourselves  on  their 
mercy.  It  was  determined,  therefore,  to  make  for 
South  America,  which  we  computed  to  be  more  than 
two  thousand  miles  distant.  Accordingly  we  steered 
eastward,  and  though  for  several  days  harassed  with 
squalls,  we  contrived  to  keep  together.  It  was  not 
long  before  we  found  that  one  of  the  boats  had 
started  a  plank,  Avhich  was  no  wonder,  for  whale- 
boats  are  all  clinker-built,  and  very  slight,  being 
made  of  half-inch  plank  only,  before  planing.  To 
remedy  this  alarming  defect  we  all  turned  to,  and 
having  emptied  the  damagred  boat  into  the  two  others, 
we  raised  her  side  as  well  as  we  could,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  restoring  the  plank  at  the  bottom. 
Through  this  accident,  some  of  our  biscuit  had  be- 
come Injured  by  the  salt-water.  This  was  equally 
divided  among  the  several  boats'  crews.  Food  and 
water,  meanwhile,  with  our  utmost  economy,  rapidly 
failed.  Our  strensrth  was  exhausted,  not  by  absti- 
nence only,  but  by  the  labours  which  we  were 
obliged  to  employ  to  keep  our  little  vessels  afloat 
amid  the  storms  which  repeatedly  assailed  us. 
One  night  we  were  parted  in  rough  weather ;  but 
though  the  next  day  we  fell  in  with  one  of  our  com- 
panion-boats, we  never  saw  or  heard  any  more  of 
the  other,  which  probably  perished  at  sea,  being 
without  either  sextant  or  quadrant.* 

"  When  we  were  reduced  to  the  last  pinch,  and 
out  of  every  thing,  having  been  more  than  three 
weeks  abroad,  we  were  cheered  with  the  sight  of  a 
low,  uninhabited  island,  which  we  reached  in  hope,  but 
were  bitterly  disappointed.  There  were  some  bar- 
ren bushes  and  many  rocks  on  this  forlor.n  spot. 
The  only  provisions  that  we  could  procure  were  a 
few  birds  anc^-  their  eggs;  this   supply  was   soon 

*  The  mistake  is  here  again  repented ;  it  would  be  absurd  to  suppose 
lliat  one  boat  had  both  quadrant  and  sextant 


300  ADDITIONAl,  TTOTE. 

reduced ;  the  sea-fowls  appeared  to  have  been  fright- 
ened away,  and  their  nests  were  left  empty  after  we 
had  once  or  twice  plundered  them.  What  distressed 
us  most  was  the  utter  want  of  fresh  water ;  we  could 
not  find  a  drop  anywhere,  till,  at  the  extreme  verge 
of  ebb  tide,  a  small  spring  was  discovered  in  the 
sand  ;  but  even  that  was  too  scanty  to  afford  us  suffi- 
cient to  quench  our  thirst  before  it  was  covered  by 
the  waves  at  their  turn. 

"  There  being  no  prospect  but  that  of  starvation 
here,  we  determined  to  put  to  sea  again.  Three  of 
our  comrades,  however,  chose  to  remain,  and  we 
pledged  ourselves  to  send  a  vessel  to  bring  them  off, 
if  we  ourselves  should  ever  escape  to  a  Christian 
port.  With  a  very  small  morsel  of  biscuit  for  each, 
and  a  little  water,  we  again  ventured  out  on  the  wide 
ocean.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days  our  provisions 
were  consumed.  Two  men  died  ;  w^e  had  no  other 
alternative  than  to  live  upon  their  remains.  These 
we  roasted  to  dryness  by  means  of  fires  kindled  on 
the  ballast-sand  at  the  bottom  of  the  boats.*  When 
this  supply  was  spent,  what  could  we  do?  We 
looked  at  each  other  with  horrid  thoughts  in  our 
minds,  but  we  held  our  tongues.  I  am  sure  that  we 
loved  one  another  as  brothers  all  the  time ;  and  yet 
our  looks  told  plainly  what  must  be  done.  We  cast 
lots,  and  the  fatal  one  fell  on  my  poor  cabin-boy.  1 
started  forward  instantly,  and  cried  out,  '  My  lad,  my 
lad,  if  you  don't  like  your  lot,  I'll  shoot  the  first  mj\n 
that  touches  you.'  The  poor  emaciated  boy  hesi- 
tated a  moment  or  two  ;  then,  quietly  laying  his  head 
down  upon  the  gunnel  of  the  boat,  he  said,  '  /  like  it 
as  luell  as  any  oiher.''  He  was  soon  despatched,  and 
nothing  of  him  left.  1  think,  then,  another  man  died 
of  himself,  and  him  too  we  ate.  But  I  can  tell  you 
no  more — my  head  is  on  fire  at  the  recollection ;  I 
hardly  know  what  I  say.     I  forgot  to  say  that  we 

*  It  is  not  explained  witli  what  kind  of  fuel  they  performed  this  di»- 
tressing  operation. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTE.  301 

had  parted  company  with  the  second  boat  before 
now.  After  some  more  days  of  horror  and  despair, 
when  some  were  lying  down  at  the  bottom  of  the 
boat  not  able  to  rise,  and  scarcely  one  of  us  could 
move  a  lira.b,  a  vessel  hove  in  sight.  We  were  taken 
on  board,  and  treated  with  extreme  kindness.  The 
second  lost  boat  was  also  picked  up  at  sea,  and  the 
survivors  saved.  A  ship  afterward  sailed  in  search 
of  our  companions  on  the  desolate  island,  and  brought 
the-m  away." 

Captain  Pollard  closed  his  dreary  narrative  with 
saying,  in  a  tone  of  despondency  never  to  be  forgot- 
ten by  him  who  heard  it,  "  After  a  time  I  found  my 
way  to  the  United  States,  to  which  I  belonged,  and 
got  another  ship.  That  too  I  have  lost  by  a  second 
wreck  off  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  now  I  am 
utterly  ruined.  No  owner  will  ever  trust  me  with  a 
whaler  again,  for  all  will  say  I  am  an  unlucky  man." 

The  following  account  respecting  the  three  men 
that  were  left  on  the  uninhabited  island,  is  given  in  a 
note  of  the  same  work,  and  said  to  be  extracted  from 
a  religious  tract.  No.  679,  issued  by  the  society  in 
Paternoster-row. 

"  On  the  26th  December  the  boats  left  the  island : 
this  was  indeed  a  trying  moment  to  all :  they  sepa- 
rated with  mutual  prayers  and  good  wishes,  seven- 
teen* venturing  to  sea  with  almost  certain  death  be- 
fore them,  while  three  remained  on  a  rocky  isle,  des- 
titute of  water,  and  affording  hardly  any  thing  to 
support  life.  The  prospects  of  these  three  poor 
men  were  gloomy :  they  again  tried  to  dig  a  well, 
but  without  success,  and  all  hope  seemed  at  an  end, 
when  providentially  they  were  relieved  by  a  shower 
of  rain.  They  were  thus  delivered  from  the  imme 
diate  apprehension  of  perishing  by  thirst.     Their 

*  Here  again  is  another  mistake ;  the  number  must  have  been  eleven 
tt  most,  one  of  the  boats  having  parted  before  the  others  reached  the 
bland.— Ep.  „ 


502  ADDITIONAL   NOTE. 

next  care  was  to  procure  food,  and  their  difficulties 
herein  were  also  very  great ;  their  principal  resource 
was  small  birds,  about  the  size  of  a  blackbird,  which 
they  caught  while  at  roost.  Every  night  they 
climbed  the  trees  in  search  of  them,  and  obtained, 
by  severe  exertions,  a  scanty  supply,  hardly  enough 
to  support  life.  Some  of  the  trees  bore  a  small  berry, 
which  gave  them  a  little  relief,  but  these  they  found 
only  in  small  quantities.  Shellfish  they  searched 
for  in  vain  ;  and  although  from  the  rocks  they  saw 
at  times  a  number  of  sharks,  and  also  other  sorts  of 
fish,  they  were  unable  to  catch  any,  as  they  had  no 
fishing  tackle.  Once  they  saw  several  turtles,  and 
succeeded  in  taking  five,  but  they  were  then  without 
water :  at  those  times  they  had  little  inclination  to 
eat,  and  before  one  of  them  was  quite  finished  the 
others  were  become  unfit  for  food. 

"  Their  sufferings  from  want  of  water  were  the 
most  severe,  their  only  supply  being  from  what  re- 
mained in  holes  among  the  rocks  after  the  showers 
which  fell  at  intervals ;  and  sometimes  they  were 
five  or  six  dr^ys  without  any ;  on  these  occasions 
they  were  compelled  to  suck  the  blood  of  the  birds 
they  caught,  which  allayed  their  thirst  in  some  de- 
gree ;  but  they  did  so  very  unwillingly,  as  they 
found  themselves  much  disordered  thereby. 

"  Among  the  rocks  were  several  caves  formed  by 
nature,  which  afforded  shelter  from  the  wind  and 
rain.  In  one  of  these  caves  they  found  eight  human 
skeletons,  in  all  probability  the  remains  of  some 
poor  mariners  who  had  been  shipwrecked  on  the 
isle,  and  perished  for  want  of  food  and  water.  They 
were  side  by  side,  as  if  t-hey  had  laid  down  and  died 
together!  This  sight  deeply  affected  the  mate  and 
his  companions  ;  their  case  was  similar,  and  they 
had  every  reason  to  expect,  ere  long,  the  same  end; 
for  many  times  they  lay  down  at  night,  with  theii 
tongues  swollen  and  their  lips  parched  with  thirst, 
scarcely  hoping  to  see  the  morning  sun ;  and  it  is 


ADDITIONAL    NOTE.  303 

impossible  to  form  an  idea  of  their  feelings  when 
the  morning  dawned,  and  they  found  their  prayers 
had  been  heard  and  answered  by  a  providential  sup- 
ply of  rain. 

"  In  this  state  they  continued  till  the  5th  of  April 
following.  On  the  morning  of  that  day  they  were 
in  the  woods  as  usual,  searchhig  for  food  and  w^ater, 
as  well  as  their  weakness  permitted,  when  their  at- 
tention was  aroused  by  a  sound  which  they  thought 
was  distant  thunder ;  but  looking  towards  the  sea, 
they  saw  a  ship  in  the  offing,  which  had  just  fired  a 
gun.  Their  joy  at  this  sight  may  be  more  easily 
imagined  than  described;  they  immediately  fell  on 
their  knees,  and  thanked  God  for  his  goodness  in 
thus  sending  deliverance  when  least  expected  ;  then 
hastening  to  the  shore,  they  saw  a  boat  coming  to- 
wards them.  As  the  boat' could  not  approach  the 
shore  without  great  danger,  the  mate,  being  a  good 
swimmer,  and  stronger  than  his  companions,  plunged 
into  the  sea,  and  providentially  escaped  a  watery 
grave  at  the  moment  when  deliverance  was  at  hand. 
His  companions  crawied  out  farther  on  the  rocks, 
and  by  the  great  exertions  of  the  crew  were  taken 
into  the  boat,  and  soon  found  themselves  on  board 
the  Surrey,  commanded  by  Captain  Raine,  by  whom 
they  were  treated  in  the  kindest  manner,  and  their 
health  and  strength  were  speedily  restored." 

Mr.  Montgomery,  the  editor,  obsen'es,  "  there  is 
some  incongruity  in  these  two  narratives,  Avhich 
more  minute  particulars  might  reconcile."  We  have 
noticed  them.  Mr.  Bennet  received  the  account  ver- 
bally, and  may  be  mistaken  in  some  points,  but  there 
is  httle  doubt  of  its  being  substantially  correct. 

This  melancholy  history  supplies  an  additional 
and  complete  answer  to  Bligh's  doubts  of  men  feed- 
ing on  each  other  to  preserve  existence. 

THE    END. 


DUE  DATE 




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COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 

III 


0022456953 


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OJ 


3  1966 


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